# NTSB WPR26LA269: Piper PA-28-161, N8249B, San Bernardino, CA, July 18, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: July 18, 2026, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place: San Bernardino, CA · On airport while taxi
- Coordinates: 34.095361, -117.23488 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0954&lon=-117.2349&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203427
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA269
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203427/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA269

## Preliminary report

On July 18, 2026, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N8249B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near San Bernardino, California. The pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that while taxiing to the run-up area in preparation for takeoff at San Bernardino International Airport (SBD), San Bernadino, California, the airplane’s right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the taxiway surface. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing was substantially damaged. The airplane was recovered for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-161, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7102803), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8249B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8249B), registered now, S/N 28-8116008 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-8116008
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: WHP, Los Angeles, CA
- Airport: SBD, San Bernardino Intl

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 99 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KSBD
- METAR: METAR KSBD 182155Z 25007G15KT 10SM CLR 37/07 A2994

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20260718009399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260718009399A), Jul 18, 2026: Piper PA-28-161, San Bernardino, CA, Substantial damage. Owner/pilot of [privacy data omitted] was preparing to depart from San Bernardino International Airport (sbd) to whiteman airport (whp). While entering the…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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