Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, about 10 ft above ground, the glider was "hit by a tail gust/downdraft," then it landed hard. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 8 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The pilot landed the glider on runway 8G.
Source record
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, about 10 ft above ground, the airplane was "hit by a tail gust/downdraft" and the glider landed hard. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 8 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 170° at 10 knots, gusting 14 knots. The glider landed on runway 8G.