Incident Details
A single-seat composite glider, after a flight of approximately one hour, was on final approach to land on a 3,638-foot long by 300-foot wide grass/turf runway. While on short final, the glider encountered "severe sink," causing the left wingtip to impact a tree. The glider then "cartwheeled" and came to rest in the upright position on the approach end of runway 25. Rescue personnel extricated the pilot, who later reported minor injuries.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial certificate and had accumulated 4,674 total flight hours, with 31.6 hours in gliders and 10 hours in the same make and model of the accident aircraft.
Weather Conditions
The nearest airport with a weather reporting station, located approximately 35 nautical miles north of the accident site, reported wind from 220 degrees at 5 knots, gusting to 12 knots.
Mechanical Factors
No mechanical anomalies were reported with the glider's flight controls.
Pilot Recommendation
The pilot recommended that glider pilots use an "aim point" at least 800 feet further down the runway when landing in similar conditions.