Applebay Sailplanes ZUNI II and Schleicher ASW-20 mid-air collision near Ephrata, Washington, July 3, 1984
On July 3, 1984 at about 9:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Applebay Sailplanes ZUNI II (N22HL) and Schleicher ASW-20 (N20UZ), were involved in a mid-air collision near Ephrata, Washington. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1984 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ephrata, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Applebay Sailplanes ZUNI II
- Registration
- N22HL · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Schleicher ASW-20 · all ASW-20s on the register
- Registration
- N20UZ · registry record · serial 20016
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Applebay Sailplanes ZUNI II final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO GLIDERS COLLIDED WHILE THERMALING IN VICINITY OF EACH OTHER WHILE ENGAGED IN A CONTEST. ACCORDING TO THE PLTS THEY LOST SIGHT OF EACH OTHER WHILE SPIRALING IN THE LIFT. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY. THE COLLISION WAS NOSE TO TAIL.
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 Schleicher ASW-20 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO GLIDERS COLLIDED WHILE THERMALING IN VICINITY OF EACH OTHER WHILE ENGAGED IN A CONTEST. ACCORDING TO THE PLTS THEY LOST SIGHT OF EACH OTHER WHILE SPIRALING IN THE LIFT. BOTH ACFT LANDED SAFELY. THE COLLISION WAS NOSE TO TAIL.
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 Applebay Sailplanes ZUNI II from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,750 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 4,597 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EPH Ephrata WA at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from EPH, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Schleicher ASW-20 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 876 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 817 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 289 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EPH Ephrata WA at 8:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 SEA84LA159.