What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Released tow 600FT circled. No thermals. High sink. Left wing hit ground. Glider cartwheeled. (.4)according to the co-owner of the glider, the pilot was given an auto-tow launch from the runway and he believed that the pilot released at approximately 700 feet AGL. The co-owner observed the glider circling southwest of the runway, but was losing altitude. The pilot stated that he encountered 'heavy sink almost immediately after tow release.' The co-owner further observed the glider fly over the runway, but 'was too high too land straight ahead.' The pilot further reported that 'he turned left to return to the runway and the glider began to rotate left.' The pilot said that he 'got the right rudder in and the rotation stopped within 90 degrees.' The co-owner stated that 'an apparent wind gust from above or behind caused the glider to nose down.' The pilot stated that 'just as the rotation stopped, the left wing tip impacted the ground.' (-23)pilot experienced severe down draft and lost control in glider shortly after release from a ground-two launch originating from Green River muni a irport (U34). Glider inpacted ground left wing low and pivoted around that wing tip causing substantial damage to the aircraft and resulting in severe injury to the pilot. Winds calm, VMC conditions.
As the FAA filed it
RELEASED TOW 600FT CIRCLED. NO THERMALS. HIGH SINK. LEFT WING HIT GROUND. GLIDER CARTWHEELED. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE CO-OWNER OF THE GLIDER, THE PILOT WAS GIVEN AN AUTO-TOW LAUNCH FROM THE RUNWAY AND HE BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT RELEASED AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AGL. THE CO-OWNER OBSERVED THE GLIDER CIRCLING SOUTHWEST OF THE RUNWAY, BUT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED 'HEAVY SINK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOW RELEASE.' THE CO-OWNER FURTHER OBSERVED THE GLIDER FLY OVER THE RUNWAY, BUT 'WAS TOO HIGH TOO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD.' THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT 'HE TURNED LEFT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY AND THE GLIDER BEGAN TO ROTATE LEFT.' THE PILOT SAID THAT HE 'GOT THE RIGHT RUDDER IN AND THE ROTATION STOPPED WITHIN 90 DEGREES.' THE CO-OWNER STATED THAT 'AN APPARENT WIND GUST FROM ABOVE OR BEHIND CAUSED THE GLIDER TO NOSE DOWN.' THE PILOT STATED THAT 'JUST AS THE ROTATION STOPPED, THE LEFT WING TIP IMPACTED THE GROUND.' (-23)PILOT EXPERIENCED SEVERE DOWN DRAFT AND LOST CONTROL IN GLIDER SHORTLY AFTER RELEASE FROM A GROUND-TWO LAUNCH ORIGINATING FROM GREEN RIVER MUNI A IRPORT (U34). GLIDER INPACTED GROUND LEFT WING LOW AND PIVOTED AROUND THAT WING TIP CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY TO THE PILOT. WINDS CALM, VMC CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N511M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.