Cessna 172 accident near Santa Ana, California, July 29, 2017
On July 29, 2017 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2006 Cessna 172, registered N1129K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Santa Ana, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing and propeller strike for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2017 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2006 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1129K · registry record · serial 172S10315
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector reported that, during a preflight inspection, the student pilot and designated pilot examiner observed propeller damage. Further inspection by maintenance personnel revealed substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage consistent with a hard landing. The airplane was flown by numerous renter pilots before the damage was found, and none of them claimed responsibility for the damage. The time of the accident and the identification of the pilot(s) are unknown.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Other/unknown
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 4,500 hours total
- Operator: Orange County Flight Center
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Unknown
- Destination: NONE Unknown
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 30, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record (FAA Inspector) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.