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WPR18CA059

2017-12-26 · Santa Ana, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SNA

Current FAA registration · N698MC

Make / Model
CESSNA 182S
Year of manufacture
1998 · 19 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C (200 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19980921
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A94984

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to follow ground control instructions and to see and avoid ground obstacles while taxiing.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was high on the approach for landing, and partially focused on the tower controller's warning about heavy wake turbulence from landing jet traffic on the parallel runway. The pilot touched down about 1,800 ft or longer down the runway and subsequently ran off the end. The controller instructed him to turn around and exit the runway at taxiway Hotel, however in confusion, the pilot turned toward the main terminal. The controller then instructed the pilot to make a 180o turn, however he was now in the way of a taxiing incoming jet airplane. He moved to the left and subsequently struck an unmanned guard shack. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he was high on the approach for landing and partially focused on the tower controller's warning about heavy wake turbulence from landing jet traffic on the parallel runway. The airplane touched down about 1,800 ft or longer down the runway and subsequently ran off the end. The controller instructed him to turn around and exit the runway at taxiway Hotel; however, in confusion, the pilot turned toward the main terminal. The controller then instructed the pilot to make a 180o turn; however, he was now in the way of a taxiing incoming jet airplane. He moved the airplane to the left and subsequently struck an unmanned guard shack. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Communication (personnel)-Following instructions-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Residence/building-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_WPR18CA059.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (wake turbulence, turbulence). All research papers