What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N318BA was towed aloft by a Cessna 172M flown by tow pilot privacy data omitted. Earlier flights reported plenty of thermals, cloud bases of 5500 feet, and gliders easily reaching 4500-5000 feet, under good soaring conditions. Conditions were also described as gusty and turbulent, with winds averaging 5-10 knots from the south. privacy data omitted Was towed aloft, just northwest of runway 22 at a distance estimated at 1 mile, and released at 2000 ft MSL in a thermal that indicated lift of 1200 fpm. Minutes later, a radio call was made for right downwind. Witnesses described the glider as low over the trees, heading north. After the sound of the impact, witnesses observed the glider, with the wing separated but resting atop the fuselage, and the glider resting on its side facing north, away from the field.
As the FAA filed it
N318BA WAS TOWED ALOFT BY A CESSNA 172M FLOWN BY TOW PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. EARLIER FLIGHTS REPORTED PLENTY OF THERMALS, CLOUD BASES OF 5500 FEET, AND GLIDERS EASILY REACHING 4500-5000 FEET, UNDER GOOD SOARING CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS WERE ALSO DESCRIBED AS GUSTY AND TURBULENT, WITH WINDS AVERAGING 5-10 KNOTS FROM THE SOUTH. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS TOWED ALOFT, JUST NORTHWEST OF RUNWAY 22 AT A DISTANCE ESTIMATED AT 1 MILE, AND RELEASED AT 2000 FT MSL IN A THERMAL THAT INDICATED LIFT OF 1200 FPM. MINUTES LATER, A RADIO CALL WAS MADE FOR RIGHT DOWNWIND. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE GLIDER AS LOW OVER THE TREES, HEADING NORTH. AFTER THE SOUND OF THE IMPACT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE GLIDER, WITH THE WING SEPARATED BUT RESTING ATOP THE FUSELAGE, AND THE GLIDER RESTING ON ITS SIDE FACING NORTH, AWAY FROM THE FIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.