What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was on a local glider flight and launched via an aircraft tow. The pilot stated in his interview that he checked the weather via the computer and with other local personnel at the field. Winds were from the south. The pilot released downwind of the airport (north of the airport) at appx. 3000 AGL, circled in search of lift, and at appx. 2000 feet headed back towards the airport. Winds were stronger than anticipated and the aircraft did not have enough altitude to return to the field. On the subsequent land out, the right wing hit a mesquite bush that caused the 45 degree ground loop. During the ground loop, the left wing then hit a mesquite bush.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL GLIDER FLIGHT AND LAUNCHED VIA AN AIRCRAFT TOW. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS INTERVIEW THAT HE CHECKED THE WEATHER VIA THE COMPUTER AND WITH OTHER LOCAL PERSONNEL AT THE FIELD. WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTH. THE PILOT RELEASED DOWNWIND OF THE AIRPORT (NORTH OF THE AIRPORT) AT APPX. 3000 AGL, CIRCLED IN SEARCH OF LIFT, AND AT APPX. 2000 FEET HEADED BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT. WINDS WERE STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED AND THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. ON THE SUBSEQUENT LAND OUT, THE RIGHT WING HIT A MESQUITE BUSH THAT CAUSED THE 45 DEGREE GROUND LOOP. DURING THE GROUND LOOP, THE LEFT WING THEN HIT A MESQUITE BUSH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.