What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 20, 2008 about 1730 pacific daylight time, a blanik L-13 glider, N48029 was substantially damaged when it impacted the terrain while trying to land at Arlington airport (awo), Arlington Washington. The PIC had minor injuries. Visual metrological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the conducted flight under 14 code of federal regulations part 91. The pilot was flying the glider and was returning to land when he realized he had extended down wind too FAR and was unable to reach the airport so he attempted to land on a sod farm but he clipped a tree with r/h wing tip causing loss of control of the aircraft. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunctions nor did the pilot report any mechanical problems. The glider sustained substantial damage to the right hand wing and numerous areas of fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 20, 2008 ABOUT 1730 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BLANIK L-13 GLIDER, N48029 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN WHILE TRYING TO LAND AT ARLINGTON AIRPORT (AWO), ARLINGTON WASHINGTON. THE PIC HAD MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE CONDUCTED FLIGHT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE GLIDER AND WAS RETURNING TO LAND WHEN HE REALIZED HE HAD EXTENDED DOWN WIND TOO FAR AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT SO HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A SOD FARM BUT HE CLIPPED A TREE WITH R/H WING TIP CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS NOR DID THE PILOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HAND WING AND NUMEROUS AREAS OF FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.