Cessna 172 accident near Santa Ana, California, November 10, 1995
On November 10, 1995 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N55152, 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; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop. The pilot's diverted attention while raising the flaps and pushing in the carburetor heat control was a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1995 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N55152 · no longer on the register · serial 17275121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS. ON THE SECOND TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED WHILE THE PILOT WAS RAISING THE FLAPS AND PUSHING IN THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE SHOULD HAVE MADE A FULL STOP LANDING, TAXIED BACK, AND THEN MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 118 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,648 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 1995; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orange County Flight Center
The flight
- Departed from: SNA at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 2,887 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from SNA
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.