Accident Details
A two-place glider was being towed on a flight from Endicott to Binghamton, New York. A private pilot was flying the glider, and an instructor was along as an intended passenger. Upon approaching the destination, the glider was released from the tow and maneuvered to land on Runway 34. The approach to Runway 34 was over rising terrain with a cliff located short of the runway threshold.
During the final approach, the glider experienced an excessive sink rate. Observing that the glider would not reach the runway, the instructor took control of the glider. He turned the aircraft to avoid rising terrain and obstructions, and attempted to land in a suitable area. However, before completing the turn, a wingtip contacted the terrain, and the glider crash landed.
Flight Crew Information
The instructor had accumulated approximately 247 hours of flight time in gliders. The other pilot, who was flying at the time of the release, had about 35 hours of flight time.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, an examination found the spoilers in the 'up' position. However, the investigation did not verify whether the spoilers had been extended before or after the impact.