Incident Overview
A glider was towed approximately 5 miles north of its departure airport to an altitude of about 2,300 feet above ground level. After soaring for about 20 minutes, the pilot decided to return to the airport. When the flight was about 5 miles from the airport at 1,600 feet agl, the pilot reported encountering heavy sink, described as about 400 to 500 feet per minute.
Pilot Actions
The pilot elected to perform a 180-degree turn to reach a field for landing. However, he could not reach the intended landing area. To avoid homes, he elected to stall the glider into a tree. No further details about the outcome of this landing were provided.
Remarks
The source does not mention the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, location, number of occupants, injuries, or extent of damage. It also does not specify the time of day, weather conditions, or any involvement of air traffic control. The report focuses solely on the pilot's actions during the encounter with sink and the decision to perform a controlled stall into a tree.