20160424024999A

Narrative as outlined by pilot,

This was the second flight of the day, with one flight ending 30 minutes prior to the flight of this report.

Both fights were vfr-local-pleasure flights. The flight of this report was initiated with a 3000? AGL tow,

Where 600? Of addition altitude was gained over the black hills (located approximately 1 ¾ statute miles

South and ½ statute miles west of el tiro runway 35 threshold). The next leg was a destination being a

Red patch of excavation (red mine) in search of lift approximately 3 1/3 statute miles to the west, which

Was aborted at approximately 5000? MSL in height, approximately ½ statute miles short of the red mine

Accident report for N40880 on 4/24/16

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By initiating a turn to return to the gliderport as flying downwind at well above 4500? MSL, while

Searching for lift along the way. After approximately 3 miles of flight, sink was encountered as indicated

With the variometer pegged at 10 knots down. In a matter of seconds approximately 1500? Of altitude

Was lost with little or no change in forward motion. The intent to land on runway 35L was conveyed to

El tiro by radio, since a normal pattern for runway 26R on that day was jugded as being out of glide

Slope, as a second condition of similar sink was encountered with the variometer pegged at 10 knots

Down. While dropping in the final sink, the remaining 1000 feet of altitude was lost in a few seconds

And a mayday call of ??..880 landing out?.? Was radioed to el tiro shortly before impact, approximately

Located nearly perpendicular to the flight path located nearly perpendicular to the flight path

Approximately ½ statute miles west of the el tiro runway 35L threshold. In spite of flying at a normal

Glide path with a typical safety factor and an altered runway selected, a runway was not made in the

Weather conditions of sink with damage resulting from the irregular terrain and foliage upon landing.

The crash had impact at mid-height in one of the palo verde trees that ran continuously along the edge

Of a dry creek, located nearly perpendicular to the flight path. After landing in the sandy-far bank of the

Dry creek, the glider ground looped to end up with 180 degrees of rotation. Damage to the glider

Included the right wing braking off clear of the spar connection at fuselage, the tail broken off at the

Fuselage near the front of the vertical stabilizer (horizontal stabilizer was undamaged), and a fractured

Front canopy. While a club ship circle above conveying by radio that passengers of the crashed glider

Were walking near the glider, a club member was able to get to the site on foot within about 10 minutes

To provide rescue. The rescuer, pilot, and passenger walked about ¾ mile back to the el tiro clubhouse

From the crash site. The pilot sustained no observable injuries and his vital signs were verified by the

EMT that arrived at the clubhouse shortly after we did. The passenger sustained a head laceration,

Approximately ½? Long, and was transported to university medical center (umc), to rule out head

Injury, as a precaution. The passenger complied and after medical examination, observation, and

Treatment (one staple to the head laceration) was cleared and released from the hospital at 22:30.