What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While on a recreational glider flight. The pilot was being towed up to a planned altitude of 3000 ft. shortly after departure they began their left turn to spiral up over the field. At approximately 400 ft they hit a thermal and it was pulling the glider up rapidly and also pulling on the tail of the tow plane. The glider automatically released from the tow line and began to spiral down to the ground, crashing inverted and ending right side up destroying the aircraft and killing the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE ON A RECREATIONAL GLIDER FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS BEING TOWED UP TO A PLANNED ALTITUDE OF 3000 FT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE THEY BEGAN THEIR LEFT TURN TO SPIRAL UP OVER THE FIELD. AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FT THEY HIT A THERMAL AND IT WAS PULLING THE GLIDER UP RAPIDLY AND ALSO PULLING ON THE TAIL OF THE TOW PLANE. THE GLIDER AUTOMATICALLY RELEASED FROM THE TOW LINE AND BEGAN TO SPIRAL DOWN TO THE GROUND, CRASHING INVERTED AND ENDING RIGHT SIDE UP DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT AND KILLING THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.