What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 23, 2015, at 1730 cmt, a Schempp-Hirth ventus-2C glider, bearing registration number N172VC, registered to the pilot, encountered a strong downdraft of approximately 8-10 knots that :"swept" the pilot in. Pilot checked the spoilers and they were closed and locked. The airspeed was sufficient all the way through. The aircraft struck the ground, ground looped, and the tailboom and canopy were damaged. The flight was being conducted in Hobbs, NM. The aircraft was being operated on a personal flight that was part of a racing contest for a national championship. Visual meterological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the pilot was not seriously injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 23, 2015, AT 1730 CMT, A SCHEMPP-HIRTH VENTUS-2C GLIDER, BEARING REGISTRATION NUMBER N172VC, REGISTERED TO THE PILOT, ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT OF APPROXIMATELY 8-10 KNOTS THAT :"SWEPT" THE PILOT IN. PILOT CHECKED THE SPOILERS AND THEY WERE CLOSED AND LOCKED. THE AIRSPEED WAS SUFFICIENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND, GROUND LOOPED, AND THE TAILBOOM AND CANOPY WERE DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN HOBBS, NM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS PART OF A RACING CONTEST FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.