What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft landed short of the rwy and sustained substantial damage. (.19)on July 8, 1999, about 1530 eastern daylight time a Pilatus B-4 glider, N20RK, was substantially damaged while landing at Vansant Airport (9N1), Erwinna, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. The pilot stated that he flew a left traffic pattern to runway 23 at 9N1. On short final approach, approxiamtely 100 feet from the runway threshold, a gust of wind forced the glider to the left, into trees. At an airport approximately 17 miles away, at 1551, the reported winds were from 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots, and varying from 250 to 320 degrees. (-23) on landing runway 23 at van sant (9N1), pilot experienced heavy sink and turbulance and landed short and to the left of runway, damaging right wing and fuselage. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. Pilot was not injured. (.4) the pilot flew a left traffic pattern to runway 23. On short final approach, approximately 100 feet from the runway threshold, a gust of wind forced t he glider to the left, into trees. At an airport approximately 17 miles away, at 1551, the reported winds were from 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots, an varying from 250 to 320 degrees.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.19)ON JULY 8, 1999, ABOUT 1530 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME A PILATUS B-4 GLIDER, N20RK, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE LANDING AT VANSANT AIRPORT (9N1), ERWINNA, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN TO RUNWAY 23 AT 9N1. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIAMTELY 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, A GUST OF WIND FORCED THE GLIDER TO THE LEFT, INTO TREES. AT AN AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES AWAY, AT 1551, THE REPORTED WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS, AND VARYING FROM 250 TO 320 DEGREES. (-23) ON LANDING RUNWAY 23 AT VAN SANT (9N1), PILOT EXPERIENCED HEAVY SINK AND TURBULANCE AND LANDED SHORT AND TO THE LEFT OF RUNWAY, DAMAGING RIGHT WING AND FUSELAGE. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. (.4) THE PILOT FLEW A LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN TO RUNWAY 23. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, A GUST OF WIND FORCED T HE GLIDER TO THE LEFT, INTO TREES. AT AN AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES AWAY, AT 1551, THE REPORTED WINDS WERE FROM 280 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS, AN VARYING FROM 250 TO 320 DEGREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.