# Accident 19900923042179A: Mooney M20A, San Ysidro, NM, September 23, 1990

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 1990, 20:53 local time
- Place: San Ysidro, NM
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.5509° N, 106.7702° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5509&lon=-106.7702&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6054X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6054X-1994-01-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20A (registry code 5870204, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20A
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 255 total, 89 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW90FA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW90FA186) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900923042179A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FLEW INTO TREES NEAR CREST OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE AT NIGHT. CITY LIGHTS COULD BE SEEN IN AREA. NO MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW90FA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW90FA186), Sep 24, 1990: Mooney M20A (N6054X), San Ysidro, NM, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE DURING A NIGHT VFR FLIGHT. DARKNESS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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