Club Astir IIIb comes down in a corn field short of its home airfield

The pilot of a Club Astir IIIb was seriously injured, and the glider substantially damaged, in an outlanding in a corn field near Highland, where investigators found that the rough ground contributed to the outcome. He was on the way back to the airfield, could not reach it, and committed to the field about three kilometres short. The fuselage took the damage. He had about 7,500 hours in total and five on the type.

1. Returning to Highland: The pilot was on the way back to the airfield at Highland.
2. Height will not reach the airfield: The height in hand was no longer enough to reach the airfield.
3. Commits to a corn field: He broke off the return and set up a forced landing in a corn field about three kilometres short of the airfield.
4. Arrives on rough ground: The glider came down in the corn field, and investigators recorded the rough ground as contributing to the outcome.
5. Fuselage damaged, pilot hurt: The fuselage was substantially damaged and the pilot was seriously injured.