What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Due to wind conditions, the pilot elected to depart runway 21, a short 1000 ft by 20 ft paved strip. The pilot stated that during his takeoff roll, the glider weathervaned into the wind, which took him off the left side of the runway into the dirt. The glider was loaded to a max gross weight of 1100 lbs, so acceleration was hindered. After lifting off, the tow plane was climbing out; however, the glider was able to gain more than 10-15 feet of height above the runway and was to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot stated that the glider began to settled and contacted the sage brush causing the glider to cartwheel while still in tow. The tow rope broke and the glider came to rest off the right side of the runway in the thick sagebrush.
As the FAA filed it
DUE TO WIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT ELECTED TO DEPART RUNWAY 21, A SHORT 1000 FT BY 20 FT PAVED STRIP. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS TAKEOFF ROLL, THE GLIDER WEATHERVANED INTO THE WIND, WHICH TOOK HIM OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE DIRT. THE GLIDER WAS LOADED TO A MAX GROSS WEIGHT OF 1100 LBS, SO ACCELERATION WAS HINDERED. AFTER LIFTING OFF, THE TOW PLANE WAS CLIMBING OUT; HOWEVER, THE GLIDER WAS ABLE TO GAIN MORE THAN 10-15 FEET OF HEIGHT ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND WAS TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE GLIDER BEGAN TO SETTLED AND CONTACTED THE SAGE BRUSH CAUSING THE GLIDER TO CARTWHEEL WHILE STILL IN TOW. THE TOW ROPE BROKE AND THE GLIDER CAME TO REST OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY IN THE THICK SAGEBRUSH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.