Incident Overview
During a soaring competition, the pilot of a glider noticed that a layer of high cirrus clouds had moved into the area, cutting off solar heating of the ground. As thermal activity progressively weakened, the pilot began searching for a suitable location for an off-airport landing. He identified a mowed hay field and, observing no obstructions, selected it as his landing site.
Final Approach and Collision
While turning onto final approach with the wing flaps and spoilers extended, the glider struck two electrical transmission lines running diagonally across the glide path approximately 15 feet above ground level. The collision caused the transmission lines to cut into the wing root and landing gear door. The impact also broke the main pivot point for the landing gear, shattered the canopy, cracked the seat pan, and cracked the aft fuselage roughly halfway between the trailing edge of the wing and the vertical stabilizer.
Damage Assessment
Structural damage was extensive, affecting multiple components of the glider. The wing root and landing gear door sustained cuts from the power lines. The landing gear's primary pivot point was broken, and the canopy was shattered. The seat pan was cracked, and the aft fuselage suffered a crack extending approximately halfway from the wing's trailing edge to the vertical stabilizer.
Pilot Action
The pilot executed the off-airport landing decision in response to diminishing lift caused by the cloud cover. He chose the hay field after visually scanning for hazards but failed to detect the diagonal power lines during the approach. No further details about the pilot's condition or the glider's registration were provided in the source.