What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot departed on tow from the chilhowee gliderport (reisman field) in a local contest at approximately 1425 on Saturday, July 21, 2001. He flew around the gliderport judging the lift conditions untial approximately 1520. At that time he left the 3 sm GPS start cylinder for the first turnpoint (lookout tower) about 12 miles north of chilhowee and on the ridge about 5 miles east of Etowah, TN. After turning around the turnpoint at approximately 2346 ft. MSL, proceeded back to chilhowee gp. After about 5 minutes and in light but stedy sink, the pilot moved out over the valley looking for usable lift, but continued to gradually sink. The pilot went to minimum sink speed in search mode. At that point he decided on one of about three possible landing fields at around 2300 ft. MSL. A couple of hundred feet lower he selected his final choice field still looking and working any lift available. (.4) on July 21, 2001, at 1325 central daylight time, a schleicher ASW-20C glider, N9HK, registered to a private owner, collided with a static wire and subsequently the ground during a forced landing in a field in Etowah, ten nessee. The personal flight was operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured, and the glider sustained substantial damage. The glider departed chilhowee glider port in benton, Tennessee, at 1230. After departing on tow, the pilot flew around the area for about an hour. While returning to the glider port at 2,350 feet MSL, the pilot encountered a light but steady sink. After five minutes of searching for usable lift, the sink continued, and the pilot maneuvered the glider at minimum sink speed and searched for a field for landing. During descent over a house and power lines, the glider sank into the power lines. The glider's right wing struck a wire, and the glider subsequently nosed into the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed damage to the nose, and the tail was separated. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the glider.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED ON TOW FROM THE CHILHOWEE GLIDERPORT (REISMAN FIELD) IN A LOCAL CONTEST AT APPROXIMATELY 1425 ON SATURDAY, JULY 21, 2001. HE FLEW AROUND THE GLIDERPORT JUDGING THE LIFT CONDITIONS UNTIAL APPROXIMATELY 1520. AT THAT TIME HE LEFT THE 3 SM GPS START CYLINDER FOR THE FIRST TURNPOINT (LOOKOUT TOWER) ABOUT 12 MILES NORTH OF CHILHOWEE AND ON THE RIDGE ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF ETOWAH, TN. AFTER TURNING AROUND THE TURNPOINT AT APPROXIMATELY 2346 FT. MSL, PROCEEDED BACK TO CHILHOWEE GP. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND IN LIGHT BUT STEDY SINK, THE PILOT MOVED OUT OVER THE VALLEY LOOKING FOR USABLE LIFT, BUT CONTINUED TO GRADUALLY SINK. THE PILOT WENT TO MINIMUM SINK SPEED IN SEARCH MODE. AT THAT POINT HE DECIDED ON ONE OF ABOUT THREE POSSIBLE LANDING FIELDS AT AROUND 2300 FT. MSL. A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET LOWER HE SELECTED HIS FINAL CHOICE FIELD STILL LOOKING AND WORKING ANY LIFT AVAILABLE. (.4) ON JULY 21, 2001, AT 1325 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A SCHLEICHER ASW-20C GLIDER, N9HK, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, COLLIDED WITH A STATIC WIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD IN ETOWAH, TEN NESSEE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, AND THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE GLIDER DEPARTED CHILHOWEE GLIDER PORT IN BENTON, TENNESSEE, AT 1230. AFTER DEPARTING ON TOW, THE PILOT FLEW AROUND THE AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. WHILE RETURNING TO THE GLIDER PORT AT 2,350 FEET MSL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A LIGHT BUT STEADY SINK. AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF SEARCHING FOR USABLE LIFT, THE SINK CONTINUED, AND THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE GLIDER AT MINIMUM SINK SPEED AND SEARCHED FOR A FIELD FOR LANDING. DURING DESCENT OVER A HOUSE AND POWER LINES, THE GLIDER SANK INTO THE POWER LINES. THE GLIDER'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A WIRE, AND THE GLIDER SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED INTO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE, AND THE TAIL WAS SEPARATED. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH 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.