What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 4, 2014, near Pikeville, Tennessee, N304AK, a glider, took off from marion county airport (apt). Airline transport pilot, privacy data omitted, certificate number privacy data omitted, was acting as pilot in command. After flying for approximately 45 minutes, privacy data omitted attempted to identify suitable landing areas as the aircraft was getting low in altitude. After observing a suitable field from the air, privacy data omittedlanded the glider in the field. Almost immediately after touching down, the glider struck a short pole and which ground looped the aircraft, subsequently broke the tail boom, and damaged the wing and vertical stabilizer. After the aircraft stopped, privacy data omitted exited the aircraft unharmed. privacy data omitted Acquired the assistance of local homeowners to load his aircraft on to a trailer, and reported the incident to the FAA and NTSB later that afternoon.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 4, 2014, NEAR PIKEVILLE, TENNESSEE, N304AK, A GLIDER, TOOK OFF FROM MARION COUNTY AIRPORT (APT). AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND. AFTER FLYING FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO IDENTIFY SUITABLE LANDING AREAS AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS GETTING LOW IN ALTITUDE. AFTER OBSERVING A SUITABLE FIELD FROM THE AIR, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^LANDED THE GLIDER IN THE FIELD. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE GLIDER STRUCK A SHORT POLE AND WHICH GROUND LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT, SUBSEQUENTLY BROKE THE TAIL BOOM, AND DAMAGED THE WING AND VERTICAL STABILIZER. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXITED THE AIRCRAFT UNHARMED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ACQUIRED THE ASSISTANCE OF LOCAL HOMEOWNERS TO LOAD HIS AIRCRAFT ON TO A TRAILER, AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA AND NTSB LATER THAT AFTERNOON.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.