Pilot stalls ASW-19 clearing a fence on outlanding
The pilot of an ASW-19 was seriously injured, and the glider was substantially damaged, when it stalled clearing a fence near Zephyrhills. Released from tow 760 m up, 5 km downwind of the airport, the pilot found a thermal and climbed while circling, but drifted to 13 km out before turning back; unable to find further lift on the return, he judged at 5 km and 300 m that he could not reach the airport and began looking for a field. He chose a pasture, but on the approach saw a wire fence crossing it; retracting the spoilers and pitching up to clear it, he stalled, and the glider struck a fence pole. Both wings bore the damage.
- Release downwind of the airport: The pilot released from tow at 760 m, 5 km downwind of the airport.
- Thermal drifts him 13 km out: Circling in a thermal to regain height, the pilot drifted to 13 km from the airport before turning back.
- No lift found on the return leg: Unable to find further lift on the way back, the pilot judged at 5 km and 300 m that he could not reach the airport.
- Pilot commits to an outlanding: The pilot chose a pasture and began an approach to land there.
- Pitches up over a fence, stalls: The pilot saw a wire fence crossing the field, retracted the spoilers and pitched up to clear it, and stalled.
- Impact with a fence pole: The glider struck a fence pole; the pilot was seriously injured, both wings substantially damaged.