K 8 strikes a tree on an unstabilized outlanding approach

The student pilot of a K 8 was injured and the glider destroyed when, low and rushed on an outlanding, the left wing hit a tree. On his qualifying 50 km solo cross-country in weak conditions, he fixated on chasing a cloud line for lift and did not notice he was steadily losing height. By the time he saw he was too low to return, little was left to set up: misjudging the wind, he flew an unstabilized approach, overshot his field, and while stretching to another over a power line and trees the wing caught a tree and the glider flipped into a ditch. The late break-off was tied to his fixation on lift over height and pressure to finish.

1. Solo cross-country in weak lift: On his qualifying 50 km solo cross-country the student released from a winch launch into poor soaring conditions.
2. Height lost while chasing lift: Fixated on a cloud line for lift, he did not notice the glider steadily losing height.
3. Too low, no time to prepare: When he realised he was too low to return, little height was left to set up an outlanding.
4. Unstabilized approach, wind misjudged: Rushed and misreading the wind, he flew an unstabilized approach, overshot his field, then stretched toward another over a power line and trees.
5. Wing strikes a tree: The left wing caught a tree and the glider flipped into a roadside ditch; it was destroyed and the student injured.