What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The glider pilot reported that he was participating in a racing competition. He was able to find thermals up to 7,000 ft mean sea level (MSL) and later could not climb higher than 4,500 ft MSL. At that time, the glider was about 20 miles from his intended destination, which the pilot thought he could reach; however, the glider subsequently encountered a strong sink, and he could not find any more thermals. Unable to glide to an airport, he attempted a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the left wing contacted a swale in the middle of the field. The glider spun, the tail boom also contacted the swale and separated, and the glider came to rest upright. The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation
As the FAA filed it
THE GLIDER PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PARTICIPATING IN A RACING COMPETITION. HE WAS ABLE TO FIND THERMALS UP TO 7,000 FT MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND LATER COULD NOT CLIMB HIGHER THAN 4,500 FT MSL. AT THAT TIME, THE GLIDER WAS ABOUT 20 MILES FROM HIS INTENDED DESTINATION, WHICH THE PILOT THOUGHT HE COULD REACH; HOWEVER, THE GLIDER SUBSEQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED A STRONG SINK, AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANY MORE THERMALS. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO AN AIRPORT, HE ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A SWALE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. THE GLIDER SPUN, THE TAIL BOOM ALSO CONTACTED THE SWALE AND SEPARATED, AND THE GLIDER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE GLIDER THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.