LS 7 catches a wingtip turning back to an outlanding field it overflew

The pilot was lightly injured and the glider destroyed when a wingtip caught the ground on a second approach to an outlanding field. After about seven hours airborne he could no longer reach his home airfield and picked a field some 4 km short of it. On the approach he saw a high-tension line, was distracted by it and flew past the field. He turned left to come round again, but the glider was only about 7 m up when the left wingtip touched the ground. It came down beside a road and stopped in bushes. The wreck showed sound control runs and no pre-existing defect.

1. Cross-country from Niederöblarn: The pilot launched at about 08:30 UTC and flew towards Gerlos and then the Erzberg.
2. Home field out of reach: By about 15:35 UTC, some seven hours out, the airfield could no longer be reached and the pilot committed to an outlanding.
3. Field chosen 4 km short: He picked a field about 4 km from the airfield and set up an approach to it.
4. Distracted by a power line: On the approach he saw a high-tension line, was distracted by it and flew on past the field.
5. Left turn back to the field: He turned left to come round and approach the same field a second time.
6. Wingtip catches the ground: With the glider about 7 m above the ground the left wingtip touched. It came down beside a road and came to rest in bushes.