Piper PA-28-151 accident near San Luis Obispo, California, October 13, 2002
On October 13, 2002 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N75164, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Luis Obispo, California (San Luis County Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance due to her inadequate visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2002 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, California · San Luis County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N75164 · registry record · serial 28-7615263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with an airport sign while taxiing from the runway to parking. The student pilot landed and received an air traffic control instruction to taxi to parking via a specified route. The student departed the runway while attempting to follow the instruction and taxied into a runway remaining distance sign, which she had failed to observe.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,811 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBP San Luis Obispo CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: SBP San Luis Obispo CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 10:25 pm from SBP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.