LOS BANOS, CA (August 28 2025) – A private single-engine Cessna crashed Tuesday evening in rural Merced County, killing the only person on board. Deputies arrived just after 7:40 p.m. on August 26, where they found the pilot deceased at the scene, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.
The wreckage was discovered a few hundred yards from Interstate 5, between Highways 165 and 152, south of Los Banos. Investigators confirmed that the plane had departed earlier in the day from an airport in the San Jose area, and no other occupants were aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that an investigator was on scene Thursday documenting the wreckage and gathering evidence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also assisting in the inquiry.
ABC Action News reported that the Cessna departed from Reid-Hillview County Airport in San Jose before experiencing trouble mid-flight. A man monitoring an aviation scanner told the station he heard the pilot issue distress calls around 4:30 p.m., reporting that his flight controls were not responding and that the aircraft could only fly in circles.
Flight tracking data shows the plane circled the region for nearly three hours before going down. The witness said two other pilots attempted to help by flying nearby and offering calm instructions over the radio.
First responders, including a sheriff’s helicopter, arrived within minutes of the crash. Authorities described the event as an unusual and tragic occurrence for the county. Capt. Aaron Rosenberg of the Merced County Sheriff’s Office noted that in his memory, this was the first fatal airplane accident he could recall in the area.
The identity of the pilot has not yet been released, pending notification of family. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
