What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
1996 Schleicher ASW-27 glider struck a wire while attempting to land, and the canope and a wing separated. Other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on January 21, 1999, about 1400 eastern standard time, an schleicher ASW27 glider, N387T, registered to a private individual, had an in-flight collision with wires about 1 mile southwest of winter haven, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The glider received minor damage. The private-rated pilot reported serious injuries. The flight had departed from winter haven, about 1350. The tow plane had taken the glider to an altitude of between 2,200 and 2,300 feet. The pilot stated he was over the airport and was going to land. While on approach, the pilot noted that he would not have enough altitude to land at the airport. He then attempted to clear a lake and land in a field short of the airport. As he approached the field, the canopy struck wires and the glider landed in the field. The pilot was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with a broken bone in his vertebra and a broken rib. (-23)during local glider flight from winter haven airport (gif). Pilot determined that he was unable to glide back to the aiport. He selected the nearest suitable field for an off-airport landing, but struck a power line while attempting to land. Damage to the glider consisted of a broken canopy, right flap damage,and minor damage to the fuselage pilot was hospitalized for greater than 43 hours for a head laceration, cracked rib, and cracked vertebra.
As the FAA filed it
1996 SCHLEICHER ASW-27 GLIDER STRUCK A WIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND, AND THE CANOPE AND A WING SEPARATED. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JANUARY 21, 1999, ABOUT 1400 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN SCHLEICHER ASW27 GLIDER, N387T, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, HAD AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH WIRES ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE GLIDER RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT REPORTED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM WINTER HAVEN, ABOUT 1350. THE TOW PLANE HAD TAKEN THE GLIDER TO AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 2,200 AND 2,300 FEET. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS OVER THE AIRPORT AND WAS GOING TO LAND. WHILE ON APPROACH, THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO CLEAR A LAKE AND LAND IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. AS HE APPROACHED THE FIELD, THE CANOPY STRUCK WIRES AND THE GLIDER LANDED IN THE FIELD. THE PILOT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN BONE IN HIS VERTEBRA AND A BROKEN RIB. (-23)DURING LOCAL GLIDER FLIGHT FROM WINTER HAVEN AIRPORT (GIF). PILOT DETERMINED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE BACK TO THE AIPORT. HE SELECTED THE NEAREST SUITABLE FIELD FOR AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING, BUT STRUCK A POWER LINE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND. DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER CONSISTED OF A BROKEN CANOPY, RIGHT FLAP DAMAGE,AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE PILOT WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR GREATER THAN 43 HOURS FOR A HEAD LACERATION, CRACKED RIB, AND CRACKED VERTEBRA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.