What happened
The accident occurred during a training flight involving a glider. The pilot, who was serving as the flight instructor, was conducting a maneuver that required a turn from the base leg to the final approach segment of the traffic pattern. During this specific phase of the flight, the aircraft encountered a significant down draft.
Despite the pilot's efforts to manage the aircraft's energy state, he was unable to arrest the descent rate in time to avoid an obstacle. The glider impacted trees located adjacent to the runway. Environmental conditions at the time included a temperature of 33 degrees Celsius, contributing to a density altitude of 2,762 feet at the airport.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the down draft encountered during the turn. The high density altitude likely degraded the glider's performance capabilities, making it more difficult to maintain altitude or recover from the sink. The pilot's inability to arrest the descent prior to impact with the trees resulted in the accident.
Safety message
Pilots operating gliders in hot weather conditions must be acutely aware of density altitude effects on performance. Strong down drafts near runways can rapidly deplete energy reserves, requiring early recognition and aggressive recovery actions.