What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The glider pilot was seriously injured and the glider rated passenger suffered fatal injuries when their aircraft collided with terrain, one half mile south east of Morgan, Utah. The pilot experienced lift, approximately 300 feet per minute just after crossing a ridge, made a 180 degree left turn back to the vicinity and experienced a 150 feet per minute down draft. Airspeed depleted 20 knots and aileron control was ineffective. The pilot was able to regain some altitude, place the aircraft in a 20 degree right bank and provide some upward momentum prior to impacting the ridge. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE GLIDER PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THE GLIDER RATED PASSENGER SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES WHEN THEIR AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN, ONE HALF MILE SOUTH EAST OF MORGAN, UTAH. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED LIFT, APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET PER MINUTE JUST AFTER CROSSING A RIDGE, MADE A 180 DEGREE LEFT TURN BACK TO THE VICINITY AND EXPERIENCED A 150 FEET PER MINUTE DOWN DRAFT. AIRSPEED DEPLETED 20 KNOTS AND AILERON CONTROL WAS INEFFECTIVE. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN SOME ALTITUDE, PLACE THE AIRCRAFT IN A 20 DEGREE RIGHT BANK AND PROVIDE SOME UPWARD MOMENTUM PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE RIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.