Cessna T303A accident near Santa Ana, California, November 24, 1990
On November 24, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna T303A, registered N2290C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ana, California (John Wayne airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S MISJUDGING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE AIRPLANE AND HANGAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T303A · all T303As on the register
- Registration
- N2290C · no longer on the register · serial T30300090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PASSED BY HIS PARKING SPOT WHILE TAXIING FROM LANDING. THE PILOT APPLIED HIGH POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE AND IDLE POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE TO EXECUTE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND TAXI BETWEEN A PARKED VEHICLE AND HANGAR. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK THE HANGAR. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES REPORTED OBSERVING ABOUT 150 FEET OF SKID MARKS MADE BY BOTH WHEELS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,424 hours in all; 517 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,175 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-AE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L-66 Corona CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.