What happened
During a flight lasting 6 minutes and 28 seconds, a glider attempted to cross a ridgeline but impacted trees and mountainous terrain. The aircraft had released from its tow plane approximately one minute before the accident occurred. At the time of the impact, the site elevation was 5,798 feet mean sea level (msl). Data from the onboard GPS Flight Data Recorder indicated that the final recorded altitude was 5,941 feet msl with a ground speed of 59 mph. The last recorded position of the aircraft was located 2,000 feet northwest of the accident site. No unusual or adverse weather conditions were reported in the area at the time of the event.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures. Analysis of the GPS Flight Data Recorder provided the flight duration and final flight parameters. Investigators noted that lower terrain was situated to the rear of the pilot's attempted flight track.