Cessna 152 accident near Banning, California, April 11, 1990
On April 11, 1990 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24376, was destroyed in an accident near Banning, California (Banning 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO ASCERTAIN THE WIND DIRECTION RESULTING IN A DOWNWIND LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1990 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Banning, California · Banning 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
- N24376 · registry record · serial 15280242
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS EN ROUTE ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WHEN HE BECAME DISORIENTED. HE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT BOTH HIS FUEL STATE AND THE PROSPECT OF NIGHTFALL WHEN HE SAW THE BANNING AIRPORT. THE PILOT DID NOT MAKE A NORMAL PATTERN ENTRY OR CHECK THE WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED. THE PILOT LANDED DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 8 WITH A TAIL WIND ESTIMATED BY WITNESSES TO BE 10 KNOTS. THE STUDENT COULD NOT STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY AND IT OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END AND COLLIDED WITH A LARGE DITCH.
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: student
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 16 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cari Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TNP Twentynine Palm CA at 10:50 pm
- Destination: L67 Rialto CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 8, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX90LA143.