What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was participating in his first group event after several months of glider inactivity. privacy data omitted Was the first of four gliders launched. The second and third gliders launched encountered good lift conditions and continued on toward altoona, PA. But privacy data omitted decided to return to field. Wind conditions changed since the time of launch from 10 knots at 290-300 degrees to gusts from 18 to the mid-twenties, in the same direction. The wind sock, located near the approach of runway 15, was not visible to aircraft on the approach to runway 33. privacy data omitted Glider crashed turning final for runway 33, about 400 yards short of the runway. A nearby tree line parallel to the approach end of the runway is known to cause turbulence under similar wind conditions. Ground impact marks are consistent with a steep approach angle. privacy data omitted Had undergone several back surgeries as a result of the accident and does not have a clear recollection of events. An amended report will be filed due to missing information in items, 13, 29 and 31.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS PARTICIPATING IN HIS FIRST GROUP EVENT AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF GLIDER INACTIVITY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE FIRST OF FOUR GLIDERS LAUNCHED. THE SECOND AND THIRD GLIDERS LAUNCHED ENCOUNTERED GOOD LIFT CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED ON TOWARD ALTOONA, PA. BUT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECIDED TO RETURN TO FIELD. WIND CONDITIONS CHANGED SINCE THE TIME OF LAUNCH FROM 10 KNOTS AT 290-300 DEGREES TO GUSTS FROM 18 TO THE MID-TWENTIES, IN THE SAME DIRECTION. THE WIND SOCK, LOCATED NEAR THE APPROACH OF RUNWAY 15, WAS NOT VISIBLE TO AIRCRAFT ON THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 33. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ GLIDER CRASHED TURNING FINAL FOR RUNWAY 33, ABOUT 400 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. A NEARBY TREE LINE PARALLEL TO THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY IS KNOWN TO CAUSE TURBULENCE UNDER SIMILAR WIND CONDITIONS. GROUND IMPACT MARKS ARE CONSISTENT WITH A STEEP APPROACH ANGLE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD UNDERGONE SEVERAL BACK SURGERIES AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT AND DOES NOT HAVE A CLEAR RECOLLECTION OF EVENTS. AN AMENDED REPORT WILL BE FILED DUE TO MISSING INFORMATION IN ITEMS, 13, 29 AND 31.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.