What happened
Before takeoff, the pilot of a glider observed dark clouds to the west of the airport. The tow plane pilot also pointed out these clouds prior to departure. Because the pilot did not believe the clouds were moving quickly, the decision was made to depart.
The glider was towed to an altitude of 2,500 feet and released. Approximately one minute after release, the pilot noted that the sky had become significantly darker as the clouds moved rapidly from west to east over the airport. Light rain began to fall, prompting the pilot to attempt a return to the airport for landing.
As the aircraft entered the traffic pattern, the intensity of the rain increased to the point where the pilot had no forward visibility. While on final approach, the glider began striking trees. The aircraft veered to the left and pitched downward, eventually coming to rest in the trees approximately 300 feet from the runway threshold. The pilot, who had 34 hours of total flight experience, was not injured.
No mechanical issues were reported regarding the glider.