What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot took off from keph by means of aero tow. Aircraft released at approximately 4000 MSL and proceeded westbound. The glider flew westward reaching about 10-12 miles west of keph reaching an altitude of approximately 8000 MSL. The glider then turned eastward in the general direction of keph. As the glider flew eastbound it began to lose altitude. The flight ended off field. A farmer called the sheriff?s office and a sargent responded to find the crash site and 1 fatality (pilot). The FAA iic arrived on scene the follow day and was met by the NTSB iic. The crash site showed the glider impacted the ground right wind low and at a high angle of attack indicating a possible stall/spin. The landing gear handle was found in the down and locked position. The wind water tanks did not contain water. The water would normally be jettisoned prior to landing. The engine was retracted with no indication of use. The engine deployment control was found in the retracted/stowed position. The approximately 1.5 gallon fuel tank held some remaining fuel but was ruptured and leaking. The right elevator was damaged by the impact. The wings and all control surfaces were attached and intact on the glider. The continuity of the aileron, elevator, and rudder were all established.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT TOOK OFF FROM KEPH BY MEANS OF AERO TOW. AIRCRAFT RELEASED AT APPROXIMATELY 4000 MSL AND PROCEEDED WESTBOUND. THE GLIDER FLEW WESTWARD REACHING ABOUT 10-12 MILES WEST OF KEPH REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8000 MSL. THE GLIDER THEN TURNED EASTWARD IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF KEPH. AS THE GLIDER FLEW EASTBOUND IT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE FLIGHT ENDED OFF FIELD. A FARMER CALLED THE SHERIFF?S OFFICE AND A SARGENT RESPONDED TO FIND THE CRASH SITE AND 1 FATALITY (PILOT). THE FAA IIC ARRIVED ON SCENE THE FOLLOW DAY AND WAS MET BY THE NTSB IIC. THE CRASH SITE SHOWED THE GLIDER IMPACTED THE GROUND RIGHT WIND LOW AND AT A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK INDICATING A POSSIBLE STALL/SPIN. THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS FOUND IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. THE WIND WATER TANKS DID NOT CONTAIN WATER. THE WATER WOULD NORMALLY BE JETTISONED PRIOR TO LANDING. THE ENGINE WAS RETRACTED WITH NO INDICATION OF USE. THE ENGINE DEPLOYMENT CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE RETRACTED/STOWED POSITION. THE APPROXIMATELY 1.5 GALLON FUEL TANK HELD SOME REMAINING FUEL BUT WAS RUPTURED AND LEAKING. THE RIGHT ELEVATOR WAS DAMAGED BY THE IMPACT. THE WINGS AND ALL CONTROL SURFACES WERE ATTACHED AND INTACT ON THE GLIDER. THE CONTINUITY OF THE AILERON, ELEVATOR, AND RUDDER WERE ALL ESTABLISHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.