What happened
On July 1, 2011, a Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau Duo Discus glider, registration N533BG, was soaring in Stonewall, Texas, under visual meteorological conditions with a visibility of 7 statute miles and winds from 180 degrees at 9 knots. During the flight, the pilot experienced a loss of lift and executed an off-field landing into a pasture.
During the landing sequence, a gust of wind pushed the aircraft down an embankment and into a barbed wire fence. The impact with the fence caused the left wing's leading edge to sustain damage and resulted in the partial separation of the empennage from the fuselage. The pilot sustained one serious injury and was not fatal.
The investigation
An examination of the glider and its various systems by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no malfunctions or failures occurred prior to the impact.