| Crash location | 36.245277°N, 78.308889°W |
| Nearest city | Henderson, NC
36.329591°N, 78.399164°W 7.7 miles away |
| Tail number | N81799 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 12 May 2013 |
| Aircraft type | Pdps PZL-BIELSKO SZD-55-1 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot reported that he had been soaring in his glider for approximately 3 hours. While returning to the airport, the glider encountered a sink and had descended 2,500 feet before the pilot was able to find a more favorable air mass. At that time, the glider was too low to fly to the airport and the pilot elected to land in a field. While on final approach, the pilot noticed that the field had deep ruts; however, he was committed to landing at that point. During the landing, the left wing struck a rut and the glider ground-looped, which partially separated the tailboom. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the glider.
A loss of aerodynamic lift that resulted in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain.