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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

July 16, 1988 · Applebay ZUNI 2 · N14XZ

Wellington, NV

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 16, 1988
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Wellington, NV
Aircraft
Applebay ZUNI 2
Tail Number
N14XZ
Operator
Diane E Weidenhammer
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA88FA131

THE PLT (WITH ONLY 13 HRS FLT TIME IN THE HI PERFORMANCE SAILPLANE) TOOK OFF AT 1330 PDT. PSN RPRTS WITH HER GND CREW WERE NORMAL UNTIL 1630, THEN ANOTHER PLT OFFERED TO RELAY MESSAGES. AFTER CTCG HER GND CREW, THE OTR PLT TRIED CALLING HER BACK AT APRX 1645, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, THE WRECKAGE WAS FND THE NEXT DAY AT 0955, SCATTEREDOVR A WIDE AREA ON MTN/HILLY TRRN. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLT BREAKUP. THE RGT WING HAD FAILED AT THE OUTBOARD END OF THE FLAP; THE OUTBOARD PORTION WAS FND APRX 500' WEST OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE LEFT WING HAD FAILED IN THE SAME AREA& ITS MAIN SPAR HAD FAILED AT THE WING ROOT. FRACTURES WERE TYPICAL OF POSITIVE OVERLOAD WITH NO PREEXISTING FATIGUE. HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS FND APRX 1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE PLT HAD BAILED OUT, BUT HADHIT THE GND BEFORE THE CHUTE WAS FULLY DEPLOYED. THE CHUTE WAS LAST PACKED ON 2/4/88. TOWERING CUMULUS CLDS WERE RPRTD 34 MI WEST AT LAKE TAHOE. ANOTHER PLT IN THE VCNTY MADE A PRCNTRY LNDG DUE TO TSTM, RAIN, TURBC, & GUSTY WIND.

Full Narrative

THE PLT (WITH ONLY 13 HRS FLT TIME IN THE HI PERFORMANCE SAILPLANE) TOOK OFF AT 1330 PDT. PSN RPRTS WITH HER GND CREW WERE NORMAL UNTIL 1630, THEN ANOTHER PLT OFFERED TO RELAY MESSAGES. AFTER CTCG HER GND CREW, THE OTR PLT TRIED CALLING HER BACK AT APRX 1645, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, THE WRECKAGE WAS FND THE NEXT DAY AT 0955, SCATTEREDOVR A WIDE AREA ON MTN/HILLY TRRN. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLT BREAKUP. THE RGT WING HAD FAILED AT THE OUTBOARD END OF THE FLAP; THE OUTBOARD PORTION WAS FND APRX 500' WEST OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE LEFT WING HAD FAILED IN THE SAME AREA& ITS MAIN SPAR HAD FAILED AT THE WING ROOT. FRACTURES WERE TYPICAL OF POSITIVE OVERLOAD WITH NO PREEXISTING FATIGUE. HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS FND APRX 1/2 MI SOUTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE PLT HAD BAILED OUT, BUT HADHIT THE GND BEFORE THE CHUTE WAS FULLY DEPLOYED. THE CHUTE WAS LAST PACKED ON 2/4/88. TOWERING CUMULUS CLDS WERE RPRTD 34 MI WEST AT LAKE TAHOE. ANOTHER PLT IN THE VCNTY MADE A PRCNTRY LNDG DUE TO TSTM, RAIN, TURBC, & GUSTY WIND.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:45 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftApplebay ZUNI 2
Tail NumberN14XZ
Aircraft CategoryGli
DamageDestroyed
OperatorDiane E Weidenhammer
Operating RulePart 91
Engines0
Engine TypeUnknown
Engine DetailsUnknown
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 32 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind20° @ 8 kt
Visibility50 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point45 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time23:45
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data