What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Glider encountered a dust devil on takeoff, lost control of aircraft and crashed at end of runway. (.4)the pilot said he was in full control of the glider during the ground roll portion of an aero tow, with the wings level as the glider accelerated through an airspeed between 20 and 30 knots. He reported that 'without warning, the right wing was (then) slammed to the ground.' He applied full opposite aileron which had no effect, and the glider became airborne. The pilot then released from the tow plane, but during touchdown, the glider's nose collapsed, the canopy broke, and the left wing was damaged. When the takeoff was initiated, the local wind was between 5 and 10 knots, with gusts to 12 knots. Following the accident, the wind speed was between 2 and 7 knots. The pilot stated that he believed his glider was 'hit by a freak high velocity wind gust.'
As the FAA filed it
GLIDER ENCOUNTERED A DUST DEVIL ON TAKEOFF, LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT AND CRASHED AT END OF RUNWAY. (.4)THE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE GLIDER DURING THE GROUND ROLL PORTION OF AN AERO TOW, WITH THE WINGS LEVEL AS THE GLIDER ACCELERATED THROUGH AN AIRSPEED BETWEEN 20 AND 30 KNOTS. HE REPORTED THAT 'WITHOUT WARNING, THE RIGHT WING WAS (THEN) SLAMMED TO THE GROUND.' HE APPLIED FULL OPPOSITE AILERON WHICH HAD NO EFFECT, AND THE GLIDER BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT THEN RELEASED FROM THE TOW PLANE, BUT DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE GLIDER'S NOSE COLLAPSED, THE CANOPY BROKE, AND THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED. WHEN THE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED, THE LOCAL WIND WAS BETWEEN 5 AND 10 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 12 KNOTS. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND SPEED WAS BETWEEN 2 AND 7 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED HIS GLIDER WAS 'HIT BY A FREAK HIGH VELOCITY WIND GUST.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.