NYC99LA215

The glider was towed to an altitude of 2,000 feet above the ground, and released. The pilot then flew the glider to the base of a cloud in search of a thermal. When the pilot decided to return to the airport, he experienced a downdraft of about 600 feet per minute, which descended the glider to an altitude of about 950 feet. The pilot recalled that the normal sink rate for the glider was about 150 feet per minute. As the glider was landing, it cleared marked wires that were located at the approach end of the runway, and touched down about 100 feet prior to a mowed grass runway area.

On August 28, 1999, about 1345 Eastern Daylight Time, a Let L-33-Solo, N286BA, was substantially damaged while landing at the Botsford Airport (67D), Wellington, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, the glider was towed 2 miles southwest of 67D, to an altitude of 2,000 feet above the ground, and released. The pilot then flew the glider to the base of a cloud in search of a thermal. The cloud was about 600 feet above the glider, when the pilot decided to return to the airport. Upon return to the airport area, the pilot experienced a downdraft of about 600 feet per minute, which descended the glider to an altitude of about 950 feet. The pilot recalled that the normal sink rate for the glider was about 150 feet per minute. An approach to Runway 36, a 2,850 foot long grass runway, was performed. The glider cleared marked wires that were located at the approach end of the runway, and touched down about 100 feet prior to a mowed grass runway area. The touch down site was composed of 18-inch tall clover and weeds. The right wing dug into the ground and rotated the glider 180 degrees to the right. During the rotation, the tail section of the glider contacted the ground, which buckled the fuselage. The glider came to rest upright, facing south.

The weather reported at an airport located 20 miles to the northeast, at 1354 was, winds from 270 degrees at 9 knots, 6 miles of visibility with haze, few clouds at 3,800 feet, scattered clouds at 13,000 feet, broken layer of clouds at 25,000 feet. The temperature was 82 degrees Fahrenheit.