Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ephrata, Washington 98823
Tuesady, July 3, 1984 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EPHRATA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98823
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID EPH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1272
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1014
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24755
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N22HL N20UZ
NTSB Number SEA84LA159A SEA84LA159B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name APPLEBAY SAILPLANES SCHLEICHER
Aircraft Model ZUNI II ASW-20
Aircraft Series Identifier ZUNI II ASW-20
Aircraft Serial Number 20016
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500 660
Aircraft Category Glider Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1 1
Number of Engines 0 0
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Annual
Date of Last Inspection -- Oct 29 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 --
Airframe Hours -- 289
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD K. FERGUSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6754 LAKE WASHINGTON BLVD.N.E.
Aircraft Owner City KIRKLAND
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name WILLIAM G HILL
Operator Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No Yes
Operator Street Address 1045 SW UNIVERSITY
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80209
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code EPH EPH
Departure City EPHRATA EPHRATA
Departure State WA WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1320 1303
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 --
Runway Width 0 --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --