Incident Overview
During a cross-country record attempt, a glider pilot encountered an in-flight breakup after losing control while flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The wings separated from the glider, and the pilot bailed out.
Flight Details
The flight was planned to set a cross-country glider record using standing lenticular wave conditions along the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The pilot was operating under an instrument flight plan and had been cleared for a block altitude between 18,000 and 28,000 feet.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported experiencing internal canopy icing that obstructed his view through the canopy. While wiping the canopy clear of frost, he observed that the glider was approaching clouds and would soon be in instrument conditions. He turned on the emergency standby gyro (electric turn and bank) but it did not spool up completely before he entered the clouds. Shortly thereafter, the pilot lost control of the glider, resulting in the wings separating and the pilot bailing out.