What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 5th, 2025, a Glasflugel glider wis involved in an off airfield landing accident. The glider departed 0E0 early afternoon via towplane on a personal part 91 local cross-country soaring flight with intended return to 0E0. The day was entirely blue, with no cumulus clouds to indicate thermal locations. Glider released from the tow at approximately 7900' MSL in a low lift condition. Pilot stated that stronger lift was located and glider climbed to 10,800 MSL before setting off to the NE. Pilot encountered three or four other thermals 8-10 miles NE of 0E0 and climbed to 14,500' MSL. Flight continued e, then turned s approximately one hour into the flight, to cross I-40 just e of clines corners at approximately 11,000' MSL (4,800' AGL). Pilot stated that glider was able to climb from 9900' MSL to 11,100' MSL just w of clines corners. Clines corners is 19 miles from 0E0. The gliders performance at that altitude yields a glide of about 16 miles and pilot was looking for one or two more modest climbs to return to 0E0 at a safe pattern altitude. No additional thermals were encountered on the return flight requiring the pilot to locate an off-field landing location. Glider landed on a one-lane dirt road with wheel ruts and vegetation in areas along the centerline. The glider ground-looped about 135 degrees to the right, tearing off the landing gear and cracking the tail boom. The sole occupant who was the pilot was uninjured. The glider was recovered to a secure location at 0E0.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2025, A GLASFLUGEL GLIDER WIS INVOLVED IN AN OFF AIRFIELD LANDING ACCIDENT. THE GLIDER DEPARTED 0E0 EARLY AFTERNOON VIA TOWPLANE ON A PERSONAL PART 91 LOCAL CROSS-COUNTRY SOARING FLIGHT WITH INTENDED RETURN TO 0E0. THE DAY WAS ENTIRELY BLUE, WITH NO CUMULUS CLOUDS TO INDICATE THERMAL LOCATIONS. GLIDER RELEASED FROM THE TOW AT APPROXIMATELY 7900' MSL IN A LOW LIFT CONDITION. PILOT STATED THAT STRONGER LIFT WAS LOCATED AND GLIDER CLIMBED TO 10,800 MSL BEFORE SETTING OFF TO THE NE. PILOT ENCOUNTERED THREE OR FOUR OTHER THERMALS 8-10 MILES NE OF 0E0 AND CLIMBED TO 14,500' MSL. FLIGHT CONTINUED E, THEN TURNED S APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, TO CROSS I-40 JUST E OF CLINES CORNERS AT APPROXIMATELY 11,000' MSL (4,800' AGL). PILOT STATED THAT GLIDER WAS ABLE TO CLIMB FROM 9900' MSL TO 11,100' MSL JUST W OF CLINES CORNERS. CLINES CORNERS IS 19 MILES FROM 0E0. THE GLIDERS PERFORMANCE AT THAT ALTITUDE YIELDS A GLIDE OF ABOUT 16 MILES AND PILOT WAS LOOKING FOR ONE OR TWO MORE MODEST CLIMBS TO RETURN TO 0E0 AT A SAFE PATTERN ALTITUDE. NO ADDITIONAL THERMALS WERE ENCOUNTERED ON THE RETURN FLIGHT REQUIRING THE PILOT TO LOCATE AN OFF-FIELD LANDING LOCATION. GLIDER LANDED ON A ONE-LANE DIRT ROAD WITH WHEEL RUTS AND VEGETATION IN AREAS ALONG THE CENTERLINE. THE GLIDER GROUND-LOOPED ABOUT 135 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, TEARING OFF THE LANDING GEAR AND CRACKING THE TAIL BOOM. THE SOLE OCCUPANT WHO WAS THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. THE GLIDER WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE LOCATION AT 0E0.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.