What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During landing on runway 19 after a five hour flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern on a left down wind approach. The down wing leg of the approach was extended beyond the runway threshold. On the final approach phase (300 feet AGL), the pilot stated be believed he was high and applied a moderate amount of spoiler. The pilot believes that at the time of spoiler application, a down draft was encountered. The glider fell from the sky and impacted the berm 10 feet short of the runway.
In conversation, the pilot said that he was trying to land short so he could make the first taxiway. The pilot went on to state that glider pilots are sometimes pressured by their peers to land at the runway threshold and exit on the first taxiway.
Note: trk runway 19, (sometimes referred to as runway 20) has a displaced threshold.
As the FAA filed it
DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 19 AFTER A FIVE HOUR FLIGHT, THE PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ON A LEFT DOWN WIND APPROACH. THE DOWN WING LEG OF THE APPROACH WAS EXTENDED BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. ON THE FINAL APPROACH PHASE (300 FEET AGL), THE PILOT STATED BE BELIEVED HE WAS HIGH AND APPLIED A MODERATE AMOUNT OF SPOILER. THE PILOT BELIEVES THAT AT THE TIME OF SPOILER APPLICATION, A DOWN DRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE GLIDER FELL FROM THE SKY AND IMPACTED THE BERM 10 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
IN CONVERSATION, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS TRYING TO LAND SHORT SO HE COULD MAKE THE FIRST TAXIWAY. THE PILOT WENT ON TO STATE THAT GLIDER PILOTS ARE SOMETIMES PRESSURED BY THEIR PEERS TO LAND AT THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND EXIT ON THE FIRST TAXIWAY.
NOTE: TRK RUNWAY 19, (SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS RUNWAY 20) HAS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.