Piper PA28-181 accident near Santa Barbara, California, December 30, 1989
On December 30, 1989 at about 2:53 am local time, a Piper PA28-181, registered N8138E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Barbara, California (Santa Barbara airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE DURING A NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1989 · about 2:53 am local time
- Place
- Santa Barbara, California · Santa Barbara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-181 · all PA28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8138E · registry record · serial 28-8090176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A HILL DURING A NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS SOME TURBULENCE ON THE APPROACH, AND THAT THE APPROACH LOOKED LIKE A 'BLACK HOLE'. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS TOO LOW.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 492 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRY Monterey CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 am from SBA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.