Incident Summary

On September 2 @ approximately 17:30, HG pilot launched from the Marshall HG ramp. After getting airborne at approximately the middle of the ramp, the pilot’s right wing tip began to stall and pilot reported feeling the glider being in deceleration. At that point, the pilot reported being in a right turn and lacking enough bar pressure to make necessary corrections. Near the end of the ramp, pilot was in a deep right turn and impacted the bushes to the right of the ramp.

Conditions

Weather was hot and winds were light. At 17:30, Marshall Peak weather station reported S winds @ 3-5mph.

Emergency or Medical Response

No emergency or medical response called or required.

Injuries

No injuries reported.

Pilots Involved

H3 pilot.

Root Cause

Due to very light wind conditions and possibly a run that wasn’t aggressive or long enough, pilot’s wing tip stalled causing an unrecoverable turn and loss of control.

Proximate Cause

Reflecting on the day, pilot reported that they may not have objectively assessed their physical or psychological condition before the flight. Pilot was conducting their second flight of the day and suggested that they may have been physically and mentally exhausted before launching, and potentially entering the early stages of heat stroke.

Corrective Action

During preflight or before, all pilots are strongly recommended to carefully and objectively assess not only the weather conditions, but their own physical and mental condition as well. Fatigue, excessive heat or cold, illness, and fear can all lead to inappropriate decision making and can increase risk in flight operations.