What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Released from tow plane at 800 feet AGL for pattern work and landing practice. Made normal approach to runway 26. Turned onto final and attempted slip with spoilers. Glider drifted left of course. Pilot attempted to correct approach path. Overshot centerline and collided with 50 foot tree south of runway. Glider dropped straight down but remained upright at impact. No injury to sole occupant. (.19) on February 4, 2002, about 1215 hours pacific standard time, a Schweizer sgs 2-33A, N34292, collided with trees on final and landed hard on runway 26L at the Warner Springs gliderport (CL35), Warner Springs, California. The glider, owned by associated gliders of southern California and rented by the pilot, was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The glider sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from CL35. The safety board investigator-in-charge (iic) interviewed the student pilot. The pilot stated that he was doing pattern work. The takeof fs were to be circuit tows, and he was to practice frontal slips and normal landings. He stated that this was the first tow of the morning. He was about 800 feet above ground level (AGL) and the approach seemed normal; however, there was a little turbulence. He turned on final and attempted a frontal slip to a landing. The glider started to drift to the left. The student pilot stated that he must have cross-controlled the glider and could not return the glider to runway centerline. He maneuvered to avoid a tree and stalled the glider as the left wing contacted the tree. The student pilot stated that the glider "pancaked into the runway."
As the FAA filed it
(-23) RELEASED FROM TOW PLANE AT 800 FEET AGL FOR PATTERN WORK AND LANDING PRACTICE. MADE NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 26. TURNED ONTO FINAL AND ATTEMPTED SLIP WITH SPOILERS. GLIDER DRIFTED LEFT OF COURSE. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT APPROACH PATH. OVERSHOT CENTERLINE AND COLLIDED WITH 50 FOOT TREE SOUTH OF RUNWAY. GLIDER DROPPED STRAIGHT DOWN BUT REMAINED UPRIGHT AT IMPACT. NO INJURY TO SOLE OCCUPANT. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 4, 2002, ABOUT 1215 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A SCHWEIZER SGS 2-33A, N34292, COLLIDED WITH TREES ON FINAL AND LANDED HARD ON RUNWAY 26L AT THE WARNER SPRINGS GLIDERPORT (CL35), WARNER SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. THE GLIDER, OWNED BY ASSOCIATED GLIDERS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND RENTED BY THE PILOT, WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM CL35. THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) INTERVIEWED THE STUDENT PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DOING PATTERN WORK. THE TAKEOF FS WERE TO BE CIRCUIT TOWS, AND HE WAS TO PRACTICE FRONTAL SLIPS AND NORMAL LANDINGS. HE STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TOW OF THE MORNING. HE WAS ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AND THE APPROACH SEEMED NORMAL; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A LITTLE TURBULENCE. HE TURNED ON FINAL AND ATTEMPTED A FRONTAL SLIP TO A LANDING. THE GLIDER STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE MUST HAVE CROSS-CONTROLLED THE GLIDER AND COULD NOT RETURN THE GLIDER TO RUNWAY CENTERLINE. HE MANEUVERED TO AVOID A TREE AND STALLED THE GLIDER AS THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE TREE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THE GLIDER "PANCAKED INTO THE RUNWAY."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.