Los Banos Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Los Banos, California 93635
Wednesday, May 25, 1994 13:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 37-HOUR STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 32 WITH ABOUT A 30-DEGREE 15-KNOT LEFT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT SAID HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AS THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF AND IT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND LANDED ON A TAXIWAY PARALLEL AND ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER LEFT, DEPARTED THE PAVEMENT, AND WENT INTO A WEED COVERED FIELD. BEFORE THE PILOT COULD STOP THE AIRCRAFT, IT ENCOUNTERED A DITCH. THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR LANDED AT THE LOS BANOS AIRPORT WITH ANOTHER STUDENT ON A DUAL CROSS-COUNTRY ABOUT 1 HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE FROM THE WEST-NORTHWEST GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. HE AND THE SECOND STUDENT DEPARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND THE WINDS WERE FROM THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 15 TO 17 KNOTS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WHO HAD THE ACCIDENT HAD EXPERIENCED AND HANDLED SIMILAR WIND CONDITIONS ON PRIOR DUAL FLIGHTS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind conditions and his resultant loss of directional control. A factor in the accident was the student's lack of total flight experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LOS BANOS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93635
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOS BANOS MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LSN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 119
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 269
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1555
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N93069
NTSB Number LAX94LA224
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285389
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 4452
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL J. PAVICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3636 DESOTO AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SANTA CLARA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95051
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRADEWINDS AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1144 COLEMAN AVENUE
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95110
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1344
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SJC
Destination City SAN JOSE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --