What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft drifted too FAR downwind when returning to airport and landed short and crashed into trees. Aircraft received substantial damage. The pilot was not injured. (.19)on October 11, 1998, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a wsk pzl krosno, KR-03A glider, N408KP, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees while landing at the Philadelphia Gliderport (opao), Hilltown, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flgiht plan had been filed for the local flight that departed opao, about 1230. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The glider was in the traffic pattern for runway 1, a 2,450 foot long, turf runway. In a written statement, the pilot said: "...I was downwind (southwest) of runway. I started back at about 2,000 feet, I knew I was bucking a headwind so set speed about 60-65 knots and headed directly for the runway...I expected to make the field and was committed to that course. I flew into the trees, was stopped, and slid vertically down onto a pile of wood." Examination of the wreckage by a federal aviation administration inspector did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities with the glider. Winds reported at an airport about 9 miles southeast of opao, at 1455, were from 320 degrees at 11 knots, with 15 knot gusts. (.4) the glider was in the traffic pattern for runway 1, a 2,450 foot long, turf runway. While on downwind, at about 2,000 feet above ground level, the pilot turned the glider back towards the runway. The pilot stated, "...I expected to make the field and was committed to that course. I flew into the trees, was stopped, and slid vertically down onto a pile of wood.' Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities with the glider. Winds reported at an airport about 9 miles southeast of opao, at 1455, were from 320 degrees at 11 knots, with 15 knot gusts. (-23) aircraft drifted too FAR downwind when returning to airport and landed short and crashed into trees. Aircraft received substantial damage. The pilot was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TOO FAR DOWNWIND WHEN RETURNING TO AIRPORT AND LANDED SHORT AND CRASHED INTO TREES. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. (.19)ON OCTOBER 11, 1998, ABOUT 1300 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A WSK PZL KROSNO, KR-03A GLIDER, N408KP, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TREES WHILE LANDING AT THE PHILADELPHIA GLIDERPORT (OPAO), HILLTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLGIHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED OPAO, ABOUT 1230. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE GLIDER WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 1, A 2,450 FOOT LONG, TURF RUNWAY. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID: "...I WAS DOWNWIND (SOUTHWEST) OF RUNWAY. I STARTED BACK AT ABOUT 2,000 FEET, I KNEW I WAS BUCKING A HEADWIND SO SET SPEED ABOUT 60-65 KNOTS AND HEADED DIRECTLY FOR THE RUNWAY...I EXPECTED TO MAKE THE FIELD AND WAS COMMITTED TO THAT COURSE. I FLEW INTO THE TREES, WAS STOPPED, AND SLID VERTICALLY DOWN ONTO A PILE OF WOOD." EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT ABNORMALITIES WITH THE GLIDER. WINDS REPORTED AT AN AIRPORT ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OPAO, AT 1455, WERE FROM 320 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS, WITH 15 KNOT GUSTS. (.4) THE GLIDER WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 1, A 2,450 FOOT LONG, TURF RUNWAY. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, AT ABOUT 2,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT TURNED THE GLIDER BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED, "...I EXPECTED TO MAKE THE FIELD AND WAS COMMITTED TO THAT COURSE. I FLEW INTO THE TREES, WAS STOPPED, AND SLID VERTICALLY DOWN ONTO A PILE OF WOOD.' EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT ABNORMALITIES WITH THE GLIDER. WINDS REPORTED AT AN AIRPORT ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OPAO, AT 1455, WERE FROM 320 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS, WITH 15 KNOT GUSTS. (-23) AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TOO FAR DOWNWIND WHEN RETURNING TO AIRPORT AND LANDED SHORT AND CRASHED INTO TREES. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.