Boeing 757-223 accident near Santa Ana, California, May 20, 2003
On May 20, 2003 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Boeing 757-223, registered N692AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ana, California (John Wayne/Orange County airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 103 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the vehicle driver's failure to deploy the parking brake or use wheel chocks to secure the vehicle prior to leaving it unattended.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2003 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne/Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 103 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 757-223 · all 757-223s on the register
- Registration
- N692AA · registry record · serial 36972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An unattended crash fire rescue (CFR) vehicle rolled into a stationary jet awaiting instructions from the control tower. Following a medical aid call in the terminal, an airport firefighter was dispatched to the terminal where he parked his CFR vehicle at one of the gates. The driver of the vehicle was in the terminal at the time of the accident and did not remember setting the parking brake on his vehicle. He also forgot to place the anti-roll tire chocks under his vehicle before entering the terminal. The vehicle then rolled into the jet that was stationary on a taxiway. During the impact, the vehicle became lodged between the fuselage and wing root on the right side of the airplane.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 4,300 in this make and model; 233 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 21,000 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,900 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 985 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 255,000 lb
- Seats: 182
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Destination: JFK New York NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 97 |
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.