Applebay ZUNI accident near Deer Park, Washington, May 23, 1993
On May 23, 1993 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Applebay ZUNI (glider), registered N4321D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deer Park, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH BY THE PIC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1993 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Deer Park, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Applebay ZUNI
- Registration
- N4321D · registry record · serial 10
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING DUE TO LACK OF THERMAL LIFT. HE FLEW A TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR A LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, AND LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND FULL FLAPS ON FINAL APPROACH BEFORE A LANDING IN THE FIELD WAS ASSURED. WHEN IT WAS APPARENT THE ACFT WOULD UNDERSHOOT THE FIELD, THE PIC INITIATED A STEEP TURN TO AVOID IMPACT WITH TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD AND THE RIGHT WING IMPACTED THE GROUND WHILE THE GLIDER WAS IN A RIGHT BANKED ATTITUDE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 561 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 532 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1992; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 07S at 8:20 pm
- Destination: 07S
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from SFF, 11 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.