What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 13, 2025, at 13:52 local time and in VFR weather, glider privacy data omitted a Jonker JS3 rapture with jet engine, returned from flight into right hand traffic pattern to land to the north at New Castle International glider port VA85. During turn to base leg, glider pilot lost lift and experienced excessive sink rate. Pilot was unable to complete the turn to final and line up with runway, and to avoid collision with tree or possible stall spin, pilot leveled out turn, pulled aft on the elevator control to reduce airspeed, and settled into 50 foot trees. Glider then settled down ten feet into the trees and remained suspended forty feet above the ground surface just short of the runway. Powerline type bucket truck retrieved pilot from the aircraft. Pilot stated that he had no injuries, but rescue personnel protocol dictated evacuation to emergency room to verify pilot’s condition.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 13, 2025, AT 13:52 LOCAL TIME AND IN VFR WEATHER, GLIDER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A JONKER JS3 RAPTURE WITH JET ENGINE, RETURNED FROM FLIGHT INTO RIGHT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND TO THE NORTH AT NEW CASTLE INTERNATIONAL GLIDER PORT VA85. DURING TURN TO BASE LEG, GLIDER PILOT LOST LIFT AND EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE SINK RATE. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN TO FINAL AND LINE UP WITH RUNWAY, AND TO AVOID COLLISION WITH TREE OR POSSIBLE STALL SPIN, PILOT LEVELED OUT TURN, PULLED AFT ON THE ELEVATOR CONTROL TO REDUCE AIRSPEED, AND SETTLED INTO 50 FOOT TREES. GLIDER THEN SETTLED DOWN TEN FEET INTO THE TREES AND REMAINED SUSPENDED FORTY FEET ABOVE THE GROUND SURFACE JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. POWERLINE TYPE BUCKET TRUCK RETRIEVED PILOT FROM THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NO INJURIES, BUT RESCUE PERSONNEL PROTOCOL DICTATED EVACUATION TO EMERGENCY ROOM TO VERIFY PILOT’S CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.