Cessna Aircraft CO 162 accident near Santa Ana, California, June 9, 2012
On June 9, 2012 at about 7:22 pm local time, a Cessna Aircraft CO 162, registered N5211Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Santa Ana, California (John Wayne Orange Country 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 compensate for the gusting wind and failure to maintain airplane control during the approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2012 · about 7:22 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne Orange Country · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft CO 162
- Registration
- N5211Y · registry record · serial 16200033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that just prior to touchdown the airplane encountered a gust of wind, which forced the airplane off of the runway heading. The pilot applied power to go around; however, during the transition to climb, the airplane collided with a taxiway sign, sustaining substantial damage to the side of the fuselage. The pilot continued the climb and returned to land without further incident. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc O-200D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orange County Flight Center
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 19L, 2,887 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 7:24 pm from KSNA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N5211Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.