Aerotek ZUNI accident near Brownsboro, Alabama, June 12, 1993
On June 12, 1993 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Aerotek ZUNI (glider), registered N12ZW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsboro, Alabama (Moontown Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION WITH TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1993 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsboro, Alabama · Moontown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerotek ZUNI
- Registration
- N12ZW · registry record · serial 12
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE ON FINAL TO RUNWAY 27, HE ALLOWED THE GLIDER TO DEVELOP A HIGH SINK RATE, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE SINK RATE BEFORE THE GLIDER COLLIDED WITH THE TREE LINE. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED WITH THE GLIDER.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 114 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3M5 at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 3M5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,200 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from HSV, 20 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL93LA110.