Cessna 152 accident near Salinas, California, January 16, 2003
On January 16, 2003 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25562, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salinas, California (Salinas Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's inadequate compensation and his failure to maintain directional control. Contributing factors were wet and dirt terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2003 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Muni · 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
- N25562 · no longer on the register · serial 15280731
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the landing rollout the airplane encountered a crosswind, veered off the runway, and nosed over. The student stated that he made a normal approach to runway 13, correcting for a small crosswind from the left. On final the airplane was at 65 knots with 30 degrees of flaps extended. The right wheel touched down first followed by the nose wheel. The left wheel had almost made contact with the ground when a crosswind from the left lifted up the left wing, which caused the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane from turning left by applying right rudder, right brake, and simultaneously turning the ailerons to the left. The airplane continued in the turn, and the pilot noted that as he added aileron the airplane would continue to increase the turn to the left. At that point he decided to abort the landing. He added full power, which caused the turn to increase. The airplane had departed the runway and was headed for a runway sign in a dirt area. He decided to add left rudder to complete the turn to the left to avoid the runway sign. Once the nose wheel contacted the wet dirt, it dug into the ground and broke off. The airplane came to rest inverted. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,078.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 19, 2002; 31.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KIC King City CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 4,825 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SNS
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.