What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 6, 2019, a two seat glider crashed with on occupant on-board while attempting an off airport landing in a horse pasture approximately 3 miles from the departure field. The tow pilot that released the glider stated the glider pilot had released from the tow line approximately 900 ft below the briefed altitude of 3000 ft. the tow pilot stated that although not unusual based upon indicated lift for the glider, it wasn't what was briefed. Another glider pilot who was airborne at the time stated that he heard a radio transmission from the accident glider stating that N106NS was going to be landing off-site. Evidence from the pasture showed that while attempting to land, the gliders right wing impacted a sole tree in the pasture around 25-30 feet in the air, shearing approximately 24 inches of the right wing tip, from the tip to just outboard of the right aileron. This piece was found at the base of the oak tree. Approximately 48 inches from the tip, the right wing also exhibited another impact point with a tree branch that tore 12 inches of wing leading edge and top wing skin that remained in the tree. The glider rolled 180 degrees and impacted the ground inverted. The impact tore most of the right wing off which was being pulled along by the right aileron control rod. The left wing showed a broken main spar 52 inches from the tip that is suspected to have occurred during impact with the ground. The canopy plexiglass and front and rear bows were broken. All flight controls and linkages were checked and showed positive continuity. 25 feet in front of where the glider came to rest was a three-wire barbed wire fence that the aircraft would have rolled through if a normal landing were achieved. The pilot of the glider perished due to injuries sustained in the crash at the scene.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 6, 2019, A TWO SEAT GLIDER CRASHED WITH ON OCCUPANT ON-BOARD WHILE ATTEMPTING AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A HORSE PASTURE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE FIELD. THE TOW PILOT THAT RELEASED THE GLIDER STATED THE GLIDER PILOT HAD RELEASED FROM THE TOW LINE APPROXIMATELY 900 FT BELOW THE BRIEFED ALTITUDE OF 3000 FT. THE TOW PILOT STATED THAT ALTHOUGH NOT UNUSUAL BASED UPON INDICATED LIFT FOR THE GLIDER, IT WASN'T WHAT WAS BRIEFED. ANOTHER GLIDER PILOT WHO WAS AIRBORNE AT THE TIME STATED THAT HE HEARD A RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM THE ACCIDENT GLIDER STATING THAT N106NS WAS GOING TO BE LANDING OFF-SITE. EVIDENCE FROM THE PASTURE SHOWED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND, THE GLIDERS RIGHT WING IMPACTED A SOLE TREE IN THE PASTURE AROUND 25-30 FEET IN THE AIR, SHEARING APPROXIMATELY 24 INCHES OF THE RIGHT WING TIP, FROM THE TIP TO JUST OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT AILERON. THIS PIECE WAS FOUND AT THE BASE OF THE OAK TREE. APPROXIMATELY 48 INCHES FROM THE TIP, THE RIGHT WING ALSO EXHIBITED ANOTHER IMPACT POINT WITH A TREE BRANCH THAT TORE 12 INCHES OF WING LEADING EDGE AND TOP WING SKIN THAT REMAINED IN THE TREE. THE GLIDER ROLLED 180 DEGREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED. THE IMPACT TORE MOST OF THE RIGHT WING OFF WHICH WAS BEING PULLED ALONG BY THE RIGHT AILERON CONTROL ROD. THE LEFT WING SHOWED A BROKEN MAIN SPAR 52 INCHES FROM THE TIP THAT IS SUSPECTED TO HAVE OCCURRED DURING IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE CANOPY PLEXIGLASS AND FRONT AND REAR BOWS WERE BROKEN. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS AND LINKAGES WERE CHECKED AND SHOWED POSITIVE CONTINUITY. 25 FEET IN FRONT OF WHERE THE GLIDER CAME TO REST WAS A THREE-WIRE BARBED WIRE FENCE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE ROLLED THROUGH IF A NORMAL LANDING WERE ACHIEVED. THE PILOT OF THE GLIDER PERISHED DUE TO INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH AT THE SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.