What happened
A glider was being operated following a tow to 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL). After releasing from the tow plane, the flight instructor performed soaring maneuvers and turns before entering the traffic pattern at 1,000 feet AGL.
Upon turning onto the base leg, the certified flight instructor observed that the aircraft was above the glide path. To lose altitude and allow time for a second glider to launch, the instructor performed 360-degree turns. During the final approach, the glider rolled abruptly to the right at approximately 80 degrees of bank and began a descent.
The instructor managed to recover the aircraft just above the ground, at which point they noticed the glider was heading toward a fence line. Although the aircraft successfully climbed over the first fence and began a turn back toward the airport, the pilot reported that the glider stalled. The aircraft subsequently impacted terrain while attempting to maneuver over a second fence line. There were no fatalities reported in this instance.
Findings
The investigation determined that the aircraft experienced an abrupt roll and a subsequent stall during the landing sequence.