Cessna 310 accident near Tucson, Arizona, February 20, 1984
On February 20, 1984 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 310, registered N667R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Ryan Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- February 20, 1984 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Ryan Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 310 · all 310s on the register
- Registration
- N667R · no longer on the register · serial 35443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FOR SALE & THE PLT, WHO REPRESENTED HIMSELF AS BEING QUALIFIED TO FLY IT, WAS PERFORMING A PRE-PURCHASE FLT. HE REPORTED THAT HE INITIALLY FELT UNCOMFORTABLE FLYING THIS ACFT ALTHOUGH HE HAD PREVOUSLY OWNED A CESSNA 310. HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATION OF SOME OF THE ACFT'S SWITCHES & MADE THE STATEMENT THAT IT WAS DARK INSIDE THE COCKPIT. DURING A STEEP TURN TO BASE, THE ENGS SPUTTERED. RWY 24 WAS NOTAMED CLOSED & THE RWY LITES WERE INOP. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE HEARD THE ENGS SPUTTER, HE BECAME CONFUSED & ANXIOUS. HE STATED 'I GOT ANTSY PANTS, DID A 360 DEGREETURN, AND CRASHED.' THE ACFT IMPACTED HARD ON THE UNLIGHTED TAXIWAY PARLLELING RWY 24 IN A NEAR WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE FULLY RETRACTED POSITION. THE STUDENT HAD NOT BEEN ENDORSED TO SOLO IN A CESSNA 310. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE ON MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,822 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.