What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
This was the student pilots second solo in a glider under the supervision of her CFI. The temperature was high and there was not a lot of lift on the day of the accident. Upon landing attempt, the pilot realized she was too high and did a few 360 degree turns to lose altitude. She mistakenly left the spoilers retracted and conducted a forward slip and then gained airspeed as she pushed the control stick forward which increased lift and overshot the intended landing point, the airspeed increased to 90 KTS according to the pilot statement. At this point the pilot increased elevator and slowed the glider to 55 KTS at the end of the runway, turned to the left nearly 180 degrees and impacted terrain.
As the FAA filed it
THIS WAS THE STUDENT PILOTS SECOND SOLO IN A GLIDER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF HER CFI. THE TEMPERATURE WAS HIGH AND THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF LIFT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. UPON LANDING ATTEMPT, THE PILOT REALIZED SHE WAS TOO HIGH AND DID A FEW 360 DEGREE TURNS TO LOSE ALTITUDE. SHE MISTAKENLY LEFT THE SPOILERS RETRACTED AND CONDUCTED A FORWARD SLIP AND THEN GAINED AIRSPEED AS SHE PUSHED THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD WHICH INCREASED LIFT AND OVERSHOT THE INTENDED LANDING POINT, THE AIRSPEED INCREASED TO 90 KTS ACCORDING TO THE PILOT STATEMENT. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT INCREASED ELEVATOR AND SLOWED THE GLIDER TO 55 KTS AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, TURNED TO THE LEFT NEARLY 180 DEGREES AND IMPACTED TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.