What happened
During a night approach into Santa Ana-John Wayne Airport, an aircraft entered its final descent amidst challenging weather conditions characterized by rain and reduced visibility. While maneuvering for landing, the aircraft type was flying at an insufficient altitude relative to the terrain. The plane impacted the ground in Tustin, located a short distance from the runway threshold. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire that completely destroyed the airframe. There were three fatalities among the occupants of the flight.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several environmental and technical factors. The descent occurred during periods of low cloud ceilings and active rainfall, which further complicated visibility for the crew. Additionally, the presence of high obstructions in the area was noted as a factor. A significant technical issue involved the glide slope receiver, which had been reported as non-functional for one week leading up to the event.