# Accident 19991223044922A: Piper PA28R201, Santa Ana, CA, December 23, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 23, 1999, 12:14 local time - Place: Santa Ana, CA - Airport: John Wayne Airport-Orange Cou - Damage: Substantial damage - Collision: Midair collision, second aircraft - Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.6698° N, 117.8992° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6698&lon=-117.8992&mi=10 - Aircraft: N43793, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N43793) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-201 (registry code 7102816, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R201 - Reported engine: CONT IO360* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,500 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA060) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991223044922A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)ON DECEMBER 23, 1999, AT 1214 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PITTS S-2B BIPLANE, N87WA, COLLIDED WITH A PIPER PA-28R-201, N43793, WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF FROM A TEE HANGAR AREA AT THE SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE PIPER PA-28R-201 WAS HOLDING SHORT OF A TAXIWAY AT THE HOLD LINE WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE PITTS S-2B, OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PIPER, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER PRIVATE PILOT IN THE PITTS S-2B NOR THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT IN THE PIPER PA-28R WAS INJURED. THE LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHTS WERE BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLANS WERE FILED. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR FROM THE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND INTERVIEWED THE PILOTS. THE PITTS PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS BETWEEN A TEE HANGAR ROW WHEN HE HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF. HE SAID HE WAS PERFORMING S-TURNS FOR FORWARD VISIBILITY WHILE TAXIING. DURING THE SECOND S-TURN, HE CONTACTED THE LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE OF THE PIPER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PIPER PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AT THE END OF THE ALLEY BETWEEN THE TEE HANGAR ROWS HOLDING SHORT OF AN ACTIVE TAXIWAY AWAITING A CLEARANCE FROM GROUND CONTROL, AND DID NOT SEE THE PITTS UNTIL THE COLLISION. A GROUND WITNESS WAS STANDING ON THE RAMP AT THE END OF A TEE HANGAR ROW OFF THE RIGHT WING OF THE PIPER. HE STATED THAT THE PIPER WAS STATIONARY AND THE PITTS TAXIED UP FROM BEHIND AND TRIED TO CUT BETWEEN THE PIPER AND A TEE HANGAR. THE WITNESS SAID HE HAD TO RUN FROM HIS LOCATION OUT OF THE PATH OF THE PITTS TO KEEP FROM BEING HIT. THE PITTS PILOT FAILED TO SIGN FOR A REGISTERED LETTER FROM THE SAFETY BOARD REQUESTING THE FILING OF A NTSB FORM 6120.1/2, PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT. (-23)ON DECEMBER 23, 1999, AT 1214 PST, AT JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT, THE OPERATOR OF A PITTS S-2B, N87WY, TAXIED INTO A PIPER ARROW, PA-28R-201, N43793. MR. VIVIEGRE, PIC OF THE PITTS, STATED THAT HE WAS CLEARED TO TAKEOFF AND STARTED HIS TAXI. HE STATED THAT UPON HIS SECOND S-TURN HE CLIPPED THE LEFT SIDE AND WING OF THE PIPER. MR. VIVIEGRE STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE PIPER, MR. LOGAN, OWNER AND PIC OF THE PIPER ARROW, STATED THAT HE WAS INSTRU CTED TO HOLD SHORT AT THE HOLD LINE OF TAXIWAY GOLF. MR. LOGAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE PITTS TO GO AROUND HIM ON HIS LEFT SIDE. THE PITTS SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE ON ITS RIGHT WING TIP, PROPELLER, AND AIR INTAKE. THE PIPER HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON THE LEFT WING FROM THE MIDDLE OF ITS TRAILING EDGE TO THE CENTER OF THE WING. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE WAS BUCKLED IN FRONT OF THE ELEVATOR AND PUSHED OUT SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF THE LEFT WING. THIS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. ## Other aircraft in the event - N87WY, Pitts S2B: [Accident 19991223044921A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991223044921A) ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX00LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA060), Dec 23, 1999: Piper PA-28R-201 (N43793), Santa Ana, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot of the other airplane to maintain an adequate obstruction clearance while taxiing. ## Other reports on N43793 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20210205003479I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210205003479I), Feb 5, 2021: Piper PA-28R-201 (N43793), St John, WA, Minor damage. In climb after takeoff engine had roughness and loud bang resulting in in-flight engine failure. Pilot made an emergency landing on a road with no further… - [Accident 20190819013989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190819013989A), Aug 19, 2019: Piper PA-28R-201 (N43793), Spokane, WA, Substantial damage. Pilot stated he landed normally at about 80 mph and was rolling out when he thought he had a flat tire. Aircraft veered to the right and started skidding.… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.