On April 4, 1996, at 1030 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA28-140, N7561R, veered off the runway and collided with an airport taxi sign during the landing roll on runway 31L at Palm Springs Airport, Palm Springs, California. The pilot was completing a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his passenger were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Palm Springs Airport at 0900 hours. The pilot stated in the accident report that he lost control of the airplane due to the prevailing 15 to 25 knots crosswind. He indicated that the airplane did not experience any preimpact malfunctions or failures. An FAA airworthiness inspector from the Riverside [California] Flight Standards District Office, conducted the on-scene investigation. The inspector reported that a controller at the Palm Springs airport traffic control tower reported that he saw smoke coming from the left wheel during the roll. The airplane then swerved to the left and its left wing struck the airport taxi sign. The inspector reported that the left tire did not exhibit any abnormal wear or flat spots. The brake system operated normally.