Cessna 152 accident near Santa Ynez, California, May 11, 1993
On May 11, 1993 at about 6:10 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N76284, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO FLY TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, ENCOUNTER WITH UNFAVORABLE WINDS, AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1993 · about 6:10 am local time
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N76284 · registry record · serial 15281723
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED AN UNFORECASTED HEADWIND. HE SAID HE DID NOT PERFORM ANY GROUNDSPEED CHECKS TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OF THE FLIGHT AND AND THEREFORE DID NOT DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT BEFORE THE FUEL STATE BECAME A CRITICAL ISSUE. WHEN FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS IMMINENT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER AND WAS PROVIDED A RADAR VECTOR TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT.
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: 104 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,479 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 22, 1993; 43 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: LVK Livermore CA at 3:10 am
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N76284 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.