Cessna 152 accident near Santa Ana, California, August 25, 1990
On August 25, 1990 at about 7:06 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N47477, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ana, California (Orange County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER TECHNIQUE USED BY THE STUDENT PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING ATTEMPT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1990 · about 7:06 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N47477 · registry record · serial 15283229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-CERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING HER SECOND LANDING AFTER BEING ENDORSED TO FLY SOLO. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. IN A ATTEMPT TO RECOVER FROM THE BOUNCE, THE PILOT PUT THE AIRPLANE IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY WITH THE NOSE WHEEL. THE NOSE GEAR THEN COLLAPSED. THE STUDENT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, WAS NOT INJURED.
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: student
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,135 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1990; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunrise Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 2,887 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.