Incident Overview
A pilot flying a glider reported that after being towed to 3,000 feet above ground level, he flew for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before entering the normal landing traffic pattern. The pilot stated that immediately after turning onto the base leg, he noticed the glider was losing a great deal of altitude. In response, he turned again to angle sharply toward the runway, rather than flying the standard base and final legs.
Forced Landing
With insufficient altitude to return to the airstrip and the glider descending rapidly, the pilot executed an off-field landing about one-quarter mile east of Runway 21. The local wind was reported from 210 degrees at 10 knots, with gusts to 16 knots.
Pilot Remarks
The pilot noted that this was his third flight of the day in the same model of glider. He said he was familiar with the area and observant of the local weather conditions.