Applebay ZUNI 2 accident near Wellington, Nevada, July 16, 1988
On July 16, 1988 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Applebay ZUNI 2 (glider), registered N14XZ, was destroyed in an accident near Wellington, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1988 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Applebay ZUNI 2
- Registration
- N14XZ · registry record · serial 14
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 231 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1988; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from TVL, 34 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.
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.