N817VVierra Aaron M RANS S-6 · 2025

The glider pilot reported that, during landing in gusting wind conditions, the glider bounced, so the pilot added "more spoiler" to help the glider settle back onto the ground. He added that a gust of wind "rotated" the glider to the left and the glider bounced again, about 3-4 ft into the air. After the second bounce, the glider landed hard "with the nose yawed to the left".

The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have precluded normal operation.

A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located 16 nautical miles east from the accident airport reported that, about 40 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 30° at 17 knots, gusting 20 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 360° at 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The glider landed on runway 1.

According to the pilot, his glider's heading differed about 5 degrees from that of the towplane, when the towplane began its takeoff roll. The pilot used rudder to correct but the glider dragged a wing, and yawed 70 degrees to its right as a result. The glider lifted 3 to 5 feet above the runway, the pilot released the tow, the glider touched down in a sideslip, and the resultant side load on the tail landing gear "buckled the tailboom 90 [degrees]." The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the glider that would have prevented normal operation, and that the accident might have been prevented by ensuring alignment of the glider with the towplane prior to the takeoff roll.