What happened
The pilot elected to be towed aloft as a cold front was approaching the area. While on final approach to land, the glider encountered a wind gust, which resulted in an uncommanded left bank and a 120-degree change in direction. The pilot recovered, then landed the glider in trees short of the runway. The gliderport owner stated that he was just about to cancel flight operations when the accident occurred.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the immediate cause of the loss of control during the final approach phase. The primary finding was that a wind gust caused an uncommanded left bank and a 120-degree change in direction. The pilot recovered from this maneuver, but the glider landed in trees short of the runway.
Findings
The investigation found that the glider encountered a wind gust while on final approach. This gust resulted in an uncommanded left bank and a 120-degree change in direction. The pilot recovered from this maneuver, but the glider landed in trees short of the runway. The gliderport owner stated that he was just about to cancel flight operations when the accident occurred.