Club Libelle clips a tree on an outlanding after the pilot loses orientation

A pilot was seriously injured and his Club Libelle substantially damaged when the glider clipped a tree on an outlanding near Bunn and struck the ground nose first. He had released at 900 m AGL and kept the airfield in sight for most of the flight, but lost it at about 460 m and could not find it again. At about 335 m he began looking for a field to land in. A witness watched the glider descend toward the chosen field and catch a tree on the way in; the pilot recalled passing over a tree but not the sequence that followed. The sky was clear and the visibility 16 km. Both wings and the fin took the damage.

1. Local flight from a private strip: The pilot released from tow at about 900 m above the ground for a local flight, and kept the airfield in sight for most of it.
2. Airfield lost from sight at 460 m: At about 460 m above the ground the pilot lost sight of the airfield and could not locate it again. The sky was clear and the visibility 16 km.
3. Field selected at about 335 m: At about 335 m he gave up looking for the airfield and began choosing a field to land in away from it.
4. Tree caught on the way in: A witness watched the glider descend toward the chosen field and catch a tree on the approach. The pilot recalled passing over a tree but not what followed.
5. Nose-first ground impact: The glider struck the ground nose first. Both wings and the fin were substantially damaged and the pilot was seriously injured.