Cessna 172 and Mooney M20K accident near Tucson, Arizona, December 30, 1990
On December 30, 1990 at about 8:28 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N739ZV) and Mooney M20K (N3567H), were involved in the same accident near Tucson, Arizona (Ryan 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
BOTH PILOTS USED POOR VISUAL LOOKOUT PROCEDURES.
BOTH PILOTS USED POOR VISUAL LOOKOUT PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1990 · about 8:28 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Ryan · 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 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739ZV · no longer on the register · serial 17270933
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Mooney M20K · all M20Ks on the register
- Registration
- N3567H · no longer on the register · serial 5870220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED ON RUNWAY 06. THE CESSNA AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED TO TAXI SOUTHEAST ON TAXIWAY 2 AND THE MOONEY WAS CLEARED TO TAXI SOUTHWEST ON TAXIWAY B. BOTH PILOTS USED POOR VISUAL LOOKOUT PROCEDURES AND COLLIDED NEARLY HEAD-ON AT THE INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAY 2 AND TAXIWAY B.
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 M20K final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED ON RUNWAY 06. THE CESSNA AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED TO TAXI SOUTHEAST ON TAXIWAY 2 AND THE MOONEY WAS CLEARED TO TAXI SOUTHWEST ON TAXIWAY B. BOTH PILOTS USED POOR VISUAL LOOKOUT PROCEDURES AND COLLIDED NEARLY HEAD-ON AT THE INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAY 2 AND TAXIWAY B.
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 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 5,504 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Mooney M20K from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 5,504 ft by 75 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N739ZV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.