GLIDER MAKES OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative

I WAS THERMALLING THE GLIDER; A BLANIK L13; IN SPOTTY LIFT AT 2000 FT ABOUT 1 MI FROM (BUT WITHIN SIGHT OF) THE ARPT. THERE WAS ANOTHER GLIDER AT THE SAME ALT THERMALLING CLOSE BY SO I DECIDED TO LEAVE THAT AREA. I HEADED AWAY AND AT THAT POINT MADE THE 1ST MISTAKE BY NOT TAKING A COMPASS READING -- NOT REALIZING THE DIRECTION I WAS HEADING AWAY FROM THE ARPT. I WAS FLYING THROUGH SPOTTY LIFT; NOT REALLY LOSING ALT. AFTER FLYING ABOUT 2 MI AWAY FROM THE ARPT I GOT LIFT AGAIN AND BEGAN TO WORK IT. IT DIED OUT REAL QUICK HOWEVER AND I WAS STILL NOT MUCH OVER 2000 FT. AT THAT POINT I DECIDED I HAD BETTER GET THE ARPT IN VIEW. I CIRCLED AND LOOKED AT THE HORIZON IN ALL DIRECTIONS BUT COULD NOT IDENT ANY LANDMARKS. THE WHOLE AREA BELOW WAS CORNFIELDS AND ALL THE LANDMARKS -- THE ARPT; 2 MI AWAY; A RACE TRACK 2 MI AWAY AND EVEN FOWLERVILLE 7 MI AWAY; ALL BLENDED INTO THE CORNFIELDS. BY THE TIME I GOT A COMPASS HDG I WAS IN SINK AIR AND AT 1500 FT. I HAD TO LOOK FOR A FIELD TO LAND IN. THE WHOLE AREA WAS CORN EXCEPT FOR ONE SMALL FIELD I SPOTTED THAT HAD HORSES IN IT. FEARFUL OF HITTING A HORSE; I PICKED THE BEST CORNFIELD I COULD SEE TO LAND IN. I SET UP A PATTERN AT 1000 FT AND FLEW IT IN AS SLOWLY AS POSSIBLE; FLARING AT JUST ABOVE CORN HIGH. I TRIED TO HOLD THE WINGS AS LEVEL AS POSSIBLE AND CLOSED THE DIVE BRAKES TO PREVENT THE PLANE FROM CATCHING A WING AND GND LOOPING. THE TAIL DROPPED DOWN INTO THE CORN FIRST; SLOWING THE PLANE TO STALL SPD. THE NOSE THEN DROPPED INTO THE CORN AND THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP WITHIN 10 FT OF TOUCHDOWN. THE TOUCHDOWN; BEING CUSHIONED BY THE CORN UNDER THE WING; WAS A VERY SOFT LNDG. DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO THE HORIZ STABILIZER; ELEVATOR AND TAIL CONE. THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL CONSIDERING OTHER SIMILAR LNDGS IN CORN FIELDS. EVALUATION AS TO CAUSE OF PROB: LEAVING AREA OF SPOTTY LIFT CLOSE TO THE ARPT TO FIND BETTER LIFT. NOT PAYING ATTN TO THE DIRECTION I WAS FLYING. FINDING SPOTTY LIFT AND THERMALLING AGAIN; UNWITTINGLY COMPOUNDING THE DIRECTIONAL PROBLEM TO COME. NOT REALIZING HOW EVERYTHING IN THE DISTANCE BLENDS INTO THE CORNFIELDS AT THAT ALT. (2000-1500 FT). PREVENTION SUGGESTIONS: STRESSING TO PLTS; AND EACH PLT STRESSING TO HIMSELF; THAT WHETHER FLYING STRAIGHT OR THERMALLING; KEEP DIRECTION; ALT AND TERRAIN; THE 3 MAIN CONCERNS IN YOUR MIND AT ALL TIMES.