FTW95LA144

The glider pilot entered 'heavy sink' (downdraft) sixty three minutes after take off. The pilot selected sandia east airport which is 12 nautical miles west of his departure point for landing, but, could not reach it due to 20 knot head winds. He selected a pasture for his secondary landing site, but there was a house in the way. During a 180 degree turn to miss the house, his left wing contacted the ground and the glider slid to a stop.

On March 20, 1995, at 1417 MST, an I.C.A. Brasov IS-28B2 glider, N51947, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Edgewood, New Mexico. The private pilot was not injured. The aircraft was being operated on a personal flight by Albuquerque Soaring Club, Inc., under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Moriarty, New Mexico, at 1310 MST. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported on his enclosed statement and in a telephone interview with the investigator-in-charge that he departed at 1310 and "took an aero tow to 2,000 feet AGL and released." The pilot said he was maneuvering his glider in thermals for lift. He flew "good lift" to 3,000 feet above the ground before he entered an area of "heavy sink" (downdraft) and he lost 2,200 feet of altitude. He further related that only 3 minutes elapsed from his encounter with the "heavy sink" until he was on the ground. The closest airport was Sandia East, north of Edgewood, New Mexico. He was east of the field and a 20 knot head wind prevented him from reaching it. He picked a pasture for his secondary landing area but "decided to make a 180" turn to avoid hitting a house. Subsequently "during the turn my left wing contacted the ground and the glider slid to a stop" about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile from Sandia East airport.