What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot of experimental glider N76SP, a Schweizer ASW-20, on the last flight of the day, decided to land long to finish close to the hangar. On the approach the pilot extended the landing gear. As he continued he realized his speed was too fast. He said he was a bit distracted by the gusty cross-wind conditions. He forced the glider to ground, bounced several times. He pulled what he thought were the spoilers, but in fact he had pulled the landing gear out of its down and lock position. When the pilot realized he was running out of reunway he intentionally ground-looped the aircraft breaking off the tail section of the aircraft, and damaging the gear, gear doors, tail wheel and nose section.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT OF EXPERIMENTAL GLIDER N76SP, A SCHWEIZER ASW-20, ON THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, DECIDED TO LAND LONG TO FINISH CLOSE TO THE HANGAR. ON THE APPROACH THE PILOT EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR. AS HE CONTINUED HE REALIZED HIS SPEED WAS TOO FAST. HE SAID HE WAS A BIT DISTRACTED BY THE GUSTY CROSS-WIND CONDITIONS. HE FORCED THE GLIDER TO GROUND, BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. HE PULLED WHAT HE THOUGHT WERE THE SPOILERS, BUT IN FACT HE HAD PULLED THE LANDING GEAR OUT OF ITS DOWN AND LOCK POSITION. WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF REUNWAY HE INTENTIONALLY GROUND-LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT BREAKING OFF THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND DAMAGING THE GEAR, GEAR DOORS, TAIL WHEEL AND NOSE SECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.