Incident Overview
A glider pilot conducting a towed flight misread the altimeter and released from the tow plane at an incorrect altitude, resulting in a forced landing short of the intended airport.
Flight Details
The pilot set the altimeter to the field elevation of 1,600 feet mean sea level (msl) before takeoff. The plan was to be towed to 4,000 feet above ground level (agl), which corresponds to 5,600 feet msl, and then release the tow line. During the tow, the pilot released from the tow plane when the altimeter read 4,000 feet.
Unplanned Landing
While gliding back to the airport in a headwind, the pilot realized he was too low to reach the runway. He executed a forced landing into desert terrain approximately 2 miles short of the airport. The pilot stated that the glider had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Cause Identified
The pilot reported that he mistakenly released from the tow at 4,000 feet msl, when he should have released at 4,000 feet agl. This error reduced the available altitude for the return glide.