What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 12:30 pm on 22 April, 2007, a JD-4 glider, registration N366W was launched behind a tow plane at an altitude of 2,700' MSL. The duration of the flight was approximately 45 minutes with little altitude gain due to rain and unfavorable thermal conditions for production of lift and soaring. After attempting to gain lift in varying locations with no success the pilot elected to return to the valley and perform a "land out" in a farmer's field. In an attempt to prevent stalling the aircraft, the pilot increased his speed and over shot his intended threshold. The aircraft touched down on the field without sufficient room to stop before the right wing collided with a farmer's bench. The bench was located between two barns the pilot was attempting to navigate between. Substantial damage was noted on the right wing originating at the leading edge extending through to the aft spar and aileron approximately 3 feet from the tip. Further damage to the aircraft was noted on the main assembly pin and its associated receivers/couplings in the wing root (pin was bent and receivers/couplings displaced).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 PM ON 22 APRIL, 2007, A JD-4 GLIDER, REGISTRATION N366W WAS LAUNCHED BEHIND A TOW PLANE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,700' MSL. THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES WITH LITTLE ALTITUDE GAIN DUE TO RAIN AND UNFAVORABLE THERMAL CONDITIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF LIFT AND SOARING. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO GAIN LIFT IN VARYING LOCATIONS WITH NO SUCCESS THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE VALLEY AND PERFORM A "LAND OUT" IN A FARMER'S FIELD. IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT STALLING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT INCREASED HIS SPEED AND OVER SHOT HIS INTENDED THRESHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FIELD WITHOUT SUFFICIENT ROOM TO STOP BEFORE THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A FARMER'S BENCH. THE BENCH WAS LOCATED BETWEEN TWO BARNS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON THE RIGHT WING ORIGINATING AT THE LEADING EDGE EXTENDING THROUGH TO THE AFT SPAR AND AILERON APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET FROM THE TIP. FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOTED ON THE MAIN ASSEMBLY PIN AND ITS ASSOCIATED RECEIVERS/COUPLINGS IN THE WING ROOT (PIN WAS BENT AND RECEIVERS/COUPLINGS DISPLACED).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.