20220416005522A

ON APRIL 16, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1545 LCL, A GLIDER (N7784S) WAS PERFORMING A SIMULATED ROPE BREAK PROCEDURE AND COMING BACK TO THE 7NC5 AIRPORT WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE ON THE RIGHT WING AND LANDED HARD NEAR THE RUNWAY AND SLID ACROSS THE GROUND INTO A PARKED AIRCRAFT (N5074W).

N7784S AND N5074W BOTH SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT. N7784S HAD DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HAND WING FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE TREE AND DAMAGE TO THE FRONT FUSELAGE AND CANOPY FROM THE IMPACT WITH N5074W. N5074W HAD DAMAGE TO THE LEFT HAND WING, COWLING, AND PROPELLER FROM THE IMPACT WITH N7784S.

THE GLIDER WAS BEING PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OCCUPIED THE REAR SEAT IN THE GLIDER AND HIS STUDENT WAS UP FRONT. THE STUDENT WAS ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT UNASSISTED AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES INCLUDING SOME CUTS AND BRUISES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD TO BE EXTRICATED FROM THE GLIDER AS THE PROPELLER OF N5074W WAS BLOCKING HIS EXIT. HE SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES TO HIS BACK WITH SOME FRACTURED BONES, CUTS, AND BRUISES.

THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) WITH WINDS THAT WERE PICKING UP IN SPEED AND CHANGING DIRECTIONS. THE INSTRUCTOR, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, STATED THAT THE WINDS HAD BEEN COMING FROM THE SOUTH BUT HAD SHIFTED TO BE MORE FROM THE WEST AT THE TIME OF THE ROPE BREAK SIMULATION. HE STATED THAT HE TURNED TOWARD WHERE HE BELIEVED THE WIND WAS FROM AND MADE HIS CIRCLE FOR THE RUNWAY. HE HADN'T REALIZED AT THE TIME THAT THE WIND HAD SHIFTED DURING THEIR LAST TAKEOFF AND THAT BECAUSE OF THAT SHIFT, HE WAS BLOWN A LITTLE FURTHER FROM THE RUNWAY THAN HE INTENDED.

THE TOW PLANE PILOT ALSO STATED THE CHANGING WIND CONDITIONS AND THAT THEY HAD CANCELLED TWO NEW STUDENTS BUT FELT THAT THE FLIGHT WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STUDENT WAS OK BECAUSE HE WAS MORE EXPERIENCED AND GETTING READY FOR SOLO.