Cessna 152 accident near Borrego Springs, California, May 15, 2000
On May 15, 2000 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25213, was substantially damaged in an accident near Borrego Springs, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition during initial takeoff climb, which resulted a failure to maintain alignment and the airplane drifting into a nearby tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2000 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Borrego Springs, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25213 · registry record · serial 15280532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot encountered a crosswind during takeoff from an open dirt field. The pilot stated that he failed to correct for the crosswind and allowed the airplane to drift about 100 feet off course until impacting a tree. Prior to the flight, sheriff's officers had noted that the pilot had landed on a public road. The pilot reported to them that he had landed on the road as it was conveniently located near his business. The officers reported that for safety and other reasons, they would not authorize the pilot to depart from the road. In response, the pilot moved the rented airplane into the adjacent open field, which he believed was adequate for his departure.
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: 188 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,587 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 2000; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: L08 CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 203°F (95°C), dew point 104°F (40°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from TRM, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.