What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Glider preflight was completed between 12:45 and 13:15 on 11/24/2024. Preflight check entailed a "positive control check" of the horizontal surface. That check is performed with a pilot in the cockpit operating the controls and another individual at the control surface applying light pressure to the surface. The flight took of at approximately 13:31 on 11/24/2024. The glider was released from the tow plane at approximately 3800 ft MSL. When the pilot attempted to slow the glider, he discovered that the glider was not pitching up as much as usual. The pilot tried to trim the glider but that did not improve the pitch control. The pilot lowered the gear and that improved the pitch control. At that point the pilot decided to land the glider and at approximately 2300 ft MSL, the pilot made a radio call " pan, pan, pan" on radio frequency 122.800. He also stated that he would be attempting to land next to runway 23 in the grass. He landed without incident.
As the FAA filed it
GLIDER PREFLIGHT WAS COMPLETED BETWEEN 12:45 AND 13:15 ON 11/24/2024. PREFLIGHT CHECK ENTAILED A "POSITIVE CONTROL CHECK" OF THE HORIZONTAL SURFACE. THAT CHECK IS PERFORMED WITH A PILOT IN THE COCKPIT OPERATING THE CONTROLS AND ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL AT THE CONTROL SURFACE APPLYING LIGHT PRESSURE TO THE SURFACE. THE FLIGHT TOOK OF AT APPROXIMATELY 13:31 ON 11/24/2024. THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED FROM THE TOW PLANE AT APPROXIMATELY 3800 FT MSL. WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE GLIDER, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE GLIDER WAS NOT PITCHING UP AS MUCH AS USUAL. THE PILOT TRIED TO TRIM THE GLIDER BUT THAT DID NOT IMPROVE THE PITCH CONTROL. THE PILOT LOWERED THE GEAR AND THAT IMPROVED THE PITCH CONTROL. AT THAT POINT THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND THE GLIDER AND AT APPROXIMATELY 2300 FT MSL, THE PILOT MADE A RADIO CALL " PAN, PAN, PAN" ON RADIO FREQUENCY 122.800. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD BE ATTEMPTING TO LAND NEXT TO RUNWAY 23 IN THE GRASS. HE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.