Flight Purpose and Maneuvers
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to take his cousin, who was the sole passenger, around a local ski area. After departure, a tow plane pulled the glider to an altitude of about 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) adjacent to the ski area. Once released, the pilot maneuvered the glider through a 300-degree turn to the right. During this turn, he realized his altitude was lower than the ridge. He continued toward the ridge in an attempt to gain lift off of the canyons.
Descent and Decision
As the glider continued to lose altitude, it descended below 6,000 feet msl. The pilot then began to look for terrain suitable for an off-airport landing. Having identified a location, he deployed the airbrakes. With the glider about 10 to 15 feet above ground level (agl), he intentionally stalled the aircraft. The stall resulted in the glider mushing into the ground with little horizontal speed.
Damage and Mechanical Status
During the accident sequence, the glider incurred substantial damage to the tail boom and wings. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.