Cessna 172M and Mooney M20F accident near Strongsville, Ohio, August 25, 1982
On August 25, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172M (N20374) and Mooney M20F (N3438N), were involved in the same accident near Strongsville, Ohio (Strongsville airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Strongsville, Ohio · Strongsville · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20374 · no longer on the register · serial 17261235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3438N · registry record · serial 680053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE WIND WAS FROM 320 DEG AT 11 KTS. AFTER RETURNING, THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR ENTERED A NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT A RADIO CALL WAS MADE ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY TO ANNOUNCE THEIR POSITION ON DOWNWIND. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A MOONEY M20F, N3438N, ENTERED A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36. DURING THEIR LANDING ROLLS, THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 27 AND 36.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Mooney M20F final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE WIND WAS FROM 320 DEG AT 11 KTS. DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING ON RUNWAY 36. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A CESSNA 172, N20374, WAS LANDING FROM A NORMAL PATTERN ON RUNWAY 27. DURING THEIR LANDING ROLLS, THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 36 AND 27. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCREW OF THE CESSNA 172 HAD MADE A RADIO CALL ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY TO ANNOUNCE THEIR POSITION ON DOWNWIND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,400 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 8,150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,220 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E20 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1G6 Strongsville OH
- Destination: 1G6 Strongsville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,865 ft by 36 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:49 pm from CLE, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Mooney M20F from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 502 hours in all; 351 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 354 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 811 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1G6 Strongsville OH at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 1G6 Strongsville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,350 ft by 36 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.