What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot reported that 1/2 hour into the flight when over the mountains east of Minden, NV (mev), he ran out of uplift conditions. The sail plane started to settle towards the terrain. He turned back towards the ridgeline hoping to encounter rising air; instead the aircraft continued to settle towards the trees. The pilot the selected a fairly bare spot on the side of the ridge to land. Approaching the area, he turned to avoid a large bushy tree, but the wing caught it and the aircraft crashed into the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The impact broke both of the pilot's ankles. Unable to exit the wreckage, the pilot spent considerable time trying to locate emergency personnel with his cell phone. It took 2 1/2 hours for the emergency team to locate the crash site and medivac the pilot to the reno hospital.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 1/2 HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT WHEN OVER THE MOUNTAINS EAST OF MINDEN, NV (MEV), HE RAN OUT OF UPLIFT CONDITIONS. THE SAIL PLANE STARTED TO SETTLE TOWARDS THE TERRAIN. HE TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE RIDGELINE HOPING TO ENCOUNTER RISING AIR; INSTEAD THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE TOWARDS THE TREES. THE PILOT THE SELECTED A FAIRLY BARE SPOT ON THE SIDE OF THE RIDGE TO LAND. APPROACHING THE AREA, HE TURNED TO AVOID A LARGE BUSHY TREE, BUT THE WING CAUGHT IT AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE IMPACT BROKE BOTH OF THE PILOT'S ANKLES. UNABLE TO EXIT THE WRECKAGE, THE PILOT SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME TRYING TO LOCATE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WITH HIS CELL PHONE. IT TOOK 2 1/2 HOURS FOR THE EMERGENCY TEAM TO LOCATE THE CRASH SITE AND MEDIVAC THE PILOT TO THE RENO HOSPITAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.