John Wayne Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Ana, California 92707
Friday, November 10, 1995 9:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA ANA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92707
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHN WAYNE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SNA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 54
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 847 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 54
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1141
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 9 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 925
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55152
NTSB Number LAX96LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17275121
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 20 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 87
Airframe Hours 5648
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RODNEY MITCHELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1101 N. LYON
Aircraft Owner City SANTA ANA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ORANGE COUNTY FLIGHT CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 19711 CAMPUS DRIVE, SUITE 150
Operator City SANTA ANA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92707
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SNA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19L
Runway Length 2887
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --