What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While attempting to return to the minden-tahoe airport for landing, the pilot reported that he was caught in a downdraft and realized he could not make the field. He elected to land his glider in an alfalfa field, approximately four (4) miles west of the airport. Upon landing, the aircraft contacted a barbed wire fence and irrigation ditch. The winds were very strong and the pilot reported that these strong winds coming over the mountains created rotor wind activity in which he experienced good updraft conditions as well as the strong downdraft conditions. Weather reported at rno at the approximate time of the accident was a temperature of 94 degrees; dew pt 26; 9% humidity; winds south @16, G29; visibility 10SM; pressure 29.93.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE MINDEN-TAHOE AIRPORT FOR LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT AND REALIZED HE COULD NOT MAKE THE FIELD. HE ELECTED TO LAND HIS GLIDER IN AN ALFALFA FIELD, APPROXIMATELY FOUR (4) MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT. UPON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND IRRIGATION DITCH. THE WINDS WERE VERY STRONG AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THESE STRONG WINDS COMING OVER THE MOUNTAINS CREATED ROTOR WIND ACTIVITY IN WHICH HE EXPERIENCED GOOD UPDRAFT CONDITIONS AS WELL AS THE STRONG DOWNDRAFT CONDITIONS. WEATHER REPORTED AT RNO AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS A TEMPERATURE OF 94 DEGREES; DEW PT 26; 9% HUMIDITY; WINDS SOUTH @16, G29; VISIBILITY 10SM; PRESSURE 29.93.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.