N25562

On January 16, 2003, at 1400 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N25562, veered off runway 13 during an aborted landing and came to rest inverted at the Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS), Salinas, California. Squadron 2 was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of the 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Mesa Del Rey Airport (KIC), King City, California, at 1330. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV), San Jose, California, with a planned stop at SNS.

In the student's written report to the National Transportation Safety Board, he stated that he made a regular approach to runway 13 at SNS, 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 do a go-around. 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.