City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
• August 31, 1986: A DC-9 jetliner collided with a smaller aircraft. Neither craft was destroyed in the air, but the operability of both aircraft was compromised, causing them to fall more than 6,000 feet from their flight paths, eventually crashing into a housing tract in Cerritos. 16 homes were destroyed, and 15 residents in the area of the impact were killed. 26
Notable recent aircraft accidents/incidents within Orange County include the following:
• June 30, 2017: A small plane crashed on the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa near John Wayne Airport shortly after takeoff. No injuries or deaths occurred on the ground, but the freeway was shut down for many hours. • August 5, 2018: A small plane seemingly exhausted its fuel reserves and crashed into a strip mall parking lot in Santa Ana, CA, near SNA. No injuries or deaths occurred on the ground, but four parked vehicles were destroyed. 27 •
February 3, 2019: A pilot of a small plane lost control of the aircraft and crashed into a housing tract in Yorba Linda, CA, destroying two homes and killing four people on the ground. 28
In addition to the aircraft accidents/ incidents that have occurred in Orange County, the City of Irvine has experienced nine accidents/ incidents since 1983 ( Table 3-5 ), which suggests that an accident/incident occurs every four years in the City.
The remains of a small plane that crashed into a Santa Ana parking lot in 2018. Image from Richard Koehler.
Table 3-5: Aircraft Accidents/ Incidents in Irvine
Event Date
Injury Severity
Aircraft Damage
9/14/2009
Non-Fatal
Substantial
8/10/2002
Non-Fatal
Substantial
11/30/1996
Fatal (3)
Destroyed
9/19/1995
Fatal (1)
Destroyed
5/9/1990
Non-Fatal
Substantial
2/26/1986
Fatal (1)
Destroyed
5/27/1984
Non-Fatal
Substantial
4/27/1983
Non-Fatal
Substantial
2/10/1983
Non-Fatal
Substantial
33
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