SGS 2-33A drifts into a tree on a student's second solo after a slip recovery

A student pilot flying solo was killed and his SGS 2-33A substantially damaged when it drifted left into a tree on final at Blairstown and came to rest inverted in a field. He was landing on the grass strip alongside RWY 25, on his second solo circuit that afternoon. He turned base to final early and slightly high, then flew two forward slips to regain the glidepath; coming out of the second, the glider held a slight left bank that carried it toward tall trees. The left wing hit a tree about 6 m above its neighbours, 119 m short of the threshold. The recorded cause was his failure to keep the glider aligned with the intended landing area.

1. Second solo circuit that afternoon: After two dual flights the instructor issued a 90-day solo endorsement. The pilot then flew two solo traffic patterns; the first was uneventful.
2. Base-to-final turn early and high: Witnesses described the turn from base to final as early and slightly higher than normal, which left the glider above the glidepath and left of the approach path.
3. First forward slip flown on final: The pilot slipped to lose the excess height and came back to a near-normal glidepath, but the glider was then somewhat close to tall trees on the left.
4. Left bank held on slip recovery: Coming out of a second forward slip the glider maintained a slight left bank, which tracked it further toward the trees.
5. Glider tracks into the tree line: The wings came level, but the glider had already closed on the trees left of the intended grass landing area.
6. Left wing strikes a tall tree: The left wing hit a tree about 6 m taller than the rest of the line, 119 m short of the threshold; branches broke 3 to 5 m below its top.
7. Inverted in a field by the trees: The glider rotated left, pitched steeply nose-down and descended into a grass field beside the tree line, coming to rest inverted.