Cessna 180 accident near Young, Arizona, November 22, 1990
On November 22, 1990 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2574K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Young, Arizona (Plesant Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT SELECTED THE WRONG RUNWAY AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITH A TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1990 · about 9:20 pm local time · cases in 1990
- Place
- Young, Arizona · Plesant Valley · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2574K · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED PAYSON ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. UPON ARRIVING OVER PLEASANT VALLEY AIRSTRIP THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WINDSOCK WAS WRAPPED DOWNWARD AROUND THE POLE INDICATING THAT A CALM WIND EXISTED. THE PILOT INITIATED AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22. GND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING DOWNWIND AND TOO FAST. REALIZING THAT A TAILWIND EXISTED THE PLT BEGAN A GO-AROUND AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT HE STATED THAT A GUST OF WIND CAUSED AIRPLANE TO WEATHERVANE TO THE RIGHT AND STRIKE THE GROUND BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE TREES. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PREVAILING WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST BETWEEN 10 - 15 KNOTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Payson AZ at 7:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,600 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2574K on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,605 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-U 56 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,983 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,410 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX91LA041.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.