Piper PA28 N8408E accident near Santa Barbara, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a parked airplane during taxi operations at night.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, upon receiving clearance to taxi from air traffic control, he proceeded to taxi onto what he thought was the centerline of the taxiway in nighttime conditions. During the taxi, the airplane suddenly turned right. The pilot stopped the airplane and thought something on the ground had made "the wheel turn." He looked at the right wing but noticed nothing abnormal. After the airplane was airborne, the pilot saw that part of the right wingtip was separated. The pilot continued the flight and landed uneventfully at his destination. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing had sustained substantive structural damage. A portion of the airplane's right wingtip was found underneath a damaged wing on an unoccupied airplane that was parked adjacent to the taxiway. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR20CA087 for the full record.