Update: One dead after private plane crashed in Los Banos area, deputies say
Key Takeaways
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Private plane departed San Jose and crashed near I-5 south of Los Banos at 7:02 p.m.
- Merced County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the pilot died and was flying alone.
- NTSB and FAA joined local authorities to investigate cause of fatal crash.
A pilot is dead after crashing south of Los Banos Tuesday evening, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies said the plane took off from San Jose and ran into problems and circled the area for an hour near Interstate-5 before crashing about 7:02 p.m. The pilot was pronounced dead.
The Sheriff’s Office believe the pilot was the only person in the plane. It is unknown what time the pilot departed from San Jose.
The Sheriff’s Office is coordinating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration, which will be conducting the plane crash investigation.
This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 9:28 PM.
Anthony Galaviz
The Fresno Bee