What happened
On April 28, 2017, a Schweizer SGS134 glider, registration N2682H, was performing a landing on runway 25. During the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot encountered turbulence and heavy sink. As the aircraft transitioned to the final approach, the pilot reported encountering additional heavy sink and a gusting headwind.
While approaching soccer fields located short of the runway, the glider cleared one goal post but subsequently struck another goal post before impacting the ground. The pilot was not injured in the accident. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing.
The investigation
Data from an automated weather observation station located approximately 12 miles east of the airport indicated that about 14 minutes after the accident, winds were variable at 6 knots with gusts up to 15 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident that would have prevented normal operation.