San Luis County Regional Apt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Luis Obispo, California 93401
Tuesady, March 17, 2009 14:59 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that during touchdown he felt a change in the right crosswind component and his downwind (left) landing gear contacted the ground first. Subsequent right rudder corrections were insufficient and the airplane veered off of the left side of the runway, down an embankment, and impacted an airport perimeter fence. The right wing received an 18-inch-deep by 8-inch-wide indentation approximately 4 feet outboard of the wing root and impact damage to the right wing tip fuel tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswinds during touchdown.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/17/2009
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1459
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City San Luis Obispo
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93401
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 351414N
Event Location Longitude 1203833W
Event Location Airport San Luis County Regional Apt
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 212
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SBP
Elevation of weather observation facility 212
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25355
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2009 5:09PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8215P
NTSB Number WPR09CA157
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3468
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4907
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HODSON KEITH D
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85251-2269
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HODSON KEITH D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SCOTTSDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85251-2269
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City Mesa
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SBP
Destination City San Luis Obispo
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2009 11:04AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 6100
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --