What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 09/01/2018 at approximately 1200-1300 hours, the airman, privacy data omitted took off from front line flyers glider port in briggs, TX. He received aerial tow to about 2500 feet above ground level (AGL). Pilot found thermal to 5-6000 feet and flew to lampassas, TX, goldthwaite, TX, san saba, TX, and then towards Burnet, TX. At approximately 1500 hours, the airman lost sufficient thermal lift within 10 miles to the north of Burnet airport-kate craddock field(kbmq) and selected a location to land the glider in a field at 4123 county road 108, Burnet, TX, 78611. The airman forgot to lower the landing gear, therefore, the glider had no braking capability, and subsequently slid into a fence causing significant damage to the aircraft. The canopy and frame were broken into multiple pieces as well as a bent fuselage crossbar behind the seat, and severed the tail wheel housing from the lower fuselage. The left and right wings received five (5) gouges approximately 1 to 2 inches long in the leading edges with no apparent significant damage to wing structure. The airman suffered a broken nose, however, he refused transportation to medical facility.
As the FAA filed it
ON 09/01/2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200-1300 HOURS, THE AIRMAN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OFF FROM FRONT LINE FLYERS GLIDER PORT IN BRIGGS, TX. HE RECEIVED AERIAL TOW TO ABOUT 2500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). PILOT FOUND THERMAL TO 5-6000 FEET AND FLEW TO LAMPASSAS, TX, GOLDTHWAITE, TX, SAN SABA, TX, AND THEN TOWARDS BURNET, TX. AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS, THE AIRMAN LOST SUFFICIENT THERMAL LIFT WITHIN 10 MILES TO THE NORTH OF BURNET AIRPORT-KATE CRADDOCK FIELD(KBMQ) AND SELECTED A LOCATION TO LAND THE GLIDER IN A FIELD AT 4123 COUNTY ROAD 108, BURNET, TX, 78611. THE AIRMAN FORGOT TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR, THEREFORE, THE GLIDER HAD NO BRAKING CAPABILITY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SLID INTO A FENCE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE CANOPY AND FRAME WERE BROKEN INTO MULTIPLE PIECES AS WELL AS A BENT FUSELAGE CROSSBAR BEHIND THE SEAT, AND SEVERED THE TAIL WHEEL HOUSING FROM THE LOWER FUSELAGE. THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS RECEIVED FIVE (5) GOUGES APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 2 INCHES LONG IN THE LEADING EDGES WITH NO APPARENT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO WING STRUCTURE. THE AIRMAN SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE, HOWEVER, HE REFUSED TRANSPORTATION TO MEDICAL FACILITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.