Cessna 150J accident near Los Banos, California, February 25, 1986
On February 25, 1986 at about 4:50 am local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60816, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Banos, 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1986 · about 4:50 am local time
- Place
- Los Banos, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60816 · no longer on the register · serial 70596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE OVERFLEW HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT WHILE ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE TURNED AROUND AND WAS PROCEEDING BACK WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT 20 MILES SHORT OF HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT. ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL SHERIFF'S DEPUTY, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL.
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: 306 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 242 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1985; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q40 Elk Grove CA at 1:05 am
- Destination: LSN Los Banos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N60816 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.