What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The purpose of the flight was to conduct a local area glider flight. The glider departed the airport, and released from the tow-plane at 3,000 feet MSL. The pilot looked for thermals, but found none. He remained within 2 miles of the airport then decided to abort the flight due to insufficient lift. The pilot made a left downwind entry at 800 feet above the ground, turned base, then final. While on final, the pilot had his hands full just to keep the glider lined-up with the runway because of turbulence. The glider touched down at the intended touchdown point, but bounced back into the air. After the first bounce, the pilot was focusing on maintaining runway alignment that the glider began to oscillate. After contacting the runway a total of four times, the pilot was able to regain control of the glider and complete the landing. An after landing inspection revealed substantial damage to the tail wheel, and tail section of the glider.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT A LOCAL AREA GLIDER FLIGHT. THE GLIDER DEPARTED THE AIRPORT, AND RELEASED FROM THE TOW-PLANE AT 3,000 FEET MSL. THE PILOT LOOKED FOR THERMALS, BUT FOUND NONE. HE REMAINED WITHIN 2 MILES OF THE AIRPORT THEN DECIDED TO ABORT THE FLIGHT DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LIFT. THE PILOT MADE A LEFT DOWNWIND ENTRY AT 800 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, TURNED BASE, THEN FINAL. WHILE ON FINAL, THE PILOT HAD HIS HANDS FULL JUST TO KEEP THE GLIDER LINED-UP WITH THE RUNWAY BECAUSE OF TURBULENCE. THE GLIDER TOUCHED DOWN AT THE INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT, BUT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. AFTER THE FIRST BOUNCE, THE PILOT WAS FOCUSING ON MAINTAINING RUNWAY ALIGNMENT THAT THE GLIDER BEGAN TO OSCILLATE. AFTER CONTACTING THE RUNWAY A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE GLIDER AND COMPLETE THE LANDING. AN AFTER LANDING INSPECTION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAIL WHEEL, AND TAIL SECTION OF THE GLIDER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.