Event ERA10CA291

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that his glider was towed to 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL) for a local soaring flight. He climbed the glider to 6,000 feet in a training area about 13 miles from the departure airport, where he "encountered sink." The pilot then obtained a landing clearance at an airport about 8 miles from his position, but the glider continued to sink, and struck an airport perimeter fence short of the landing runway. The off-airport landing resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage structures. According to the glider's Pilot Operating Manual, the maximum glide ratio at maximum gross weight was 31:1. The pilot reported there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the glider. The pilot stated that his glider was towed to 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL) for a local soaring flight. He climbed the glider to 6,000 feet in a training area about 13 miles from the departure airport, where he "encountered sink." The pilot then obtained a landing clearance at an airport about 8 miles from his position, but the glider continued to sink, and struck an airport perimeter fence short of the landing runway. The off-airport landing resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage structures. According to the glider's Pilot Operating Manual, the maximum glide ratio at maximum gross weight was 31:1. The pilot reported there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the glider. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-Thermal lifting-Effect on operation