Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during a tailwind landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot he experienced a loss of lift while soaring and performed an off-field landing to a field that was surrounded by powerlines and trees. He said that he landed further down the field than anticipated and the glider overran the runway, impacted a fence, crossed a road, and impacted another fence, causing substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot further reported that the flight log revealed a tailwind of approximately 13 knots on the final leg of the approach, and stated that there was no mechanical malfunction with the glider.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot of the glider reported that about 2 hours 30 minutes into the flight, he was unable to locate a thermal and began losing lift. He located a field that he felt was long and wide enough to land in; however, the field was surrounded by powerlines and trees. He elected to conduct his approach from the southwest over the tree line. During the landing flare, he landed further down the field than anticipated; the glider overran the runway, impacted a fence, crossed a road, and impacted another fence, causing substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot further reported that the flight log revealed a tailwind of approximately 13 knots on the final leg of the approach, and stated that there was no mechanical malfunction with the glider.