Cessna 172N accident near Santa Ana, California, June 22, 2000
On June 22, 2000 at about 1:28 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N7598D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ana, California (John Wayne Airport). It was an instructional 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 loss of engine power during the initial takeoff climb, at too low an altitude to afford remedial action, because of an ingested valve, and the airplane's subsequent collision with the ground adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2000 · about 1:28 am local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7598D · no longer on the register · serial 72928
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were taking off to do pattern work prior to soloing the student pilot. Shortly after takeoff, during the initial climb, the instructor noticed that the engine was running very rough and that the rpm's had dropped to about 1,700. He declared an emergency and said he was circling back to land. The control tower told the instructor that they were unable to clear him on the runway he had requested due to departing traffic. The instructor stated that immediately after this, the engine rpm dropped completely and the engine quit. He continued his turn toward the runway, determined that he was not going to be able to make the runway, and elected to set it down in the grass area between the runways. A postaccident examination revealed that the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve had been ingested into the engine.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 470 as pilot in command; 230 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunrise Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SNA at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1L, 5,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 151°F (66°C), dew point 142°F (61°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from SNA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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.