Narrative:

The problem arose from a lack of concentration on my position in the landing pattern. Relative to altitude. I formed a larger than normal pattern using a shallow angle of relation to my landing site -- this pattern was too long on downwind base and final. Even after turning to final a fixed and stable aim point was established. My glide path was severely affected by turbulence then sink thus reducing my ability to clear a tree line prior to the threshold of the landing strip. Alternate fields and off sites were not available at that altitude (below 100 ft). My choices consisted of: 1) transfer speed to gain altitude to clear tree line. 2) to land straight ahead into tree tops. I chose not to transfer speed to gain altitude as the risk of a stall was imminent and loss of control was inevitable, thereby risking an uncontrollable stall with a 10 mph headwind from an altitude of approximately 100 ft AGL. This tree line is approximately 200 ft in width, 600 ft in length and 70-80 ft in ht. I did choose to land straight ahead into tree tops. I reduced my speed and gently stalled the plane into the tree tops. Very little damage was done to the plane. I received no physical or mental injury. The landing was controled and predictable. My loss of critical altitude necessary for final glide to landing was lost in a matter of seconds. Turbulence and sink in wind and close to obstructions made for very few acceptable remedial actions. I chose my action quickly without reserve as the safest ctlable course to take. In the future I will be well rested, not rushing to cram several hours of flying into a busy work schedule. I'm going to take more pattern related instruction from a cfig (glider) and receive as much information as possible relative to the proper formation of pattern and landing procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT GLIDER PLT MISJUDGED, LANDED SHORT OF THE GLIDER PORT IN THE TREES ON FINAL APCH WITH LITTLE DAMAGE AND NO INJURY.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE FROM A LACK OF CONCENTRATION ON MY POS IN THE LNDG PATTERN. RELATIVE TO ALT. I FORMED A LARGER THAN NORMAL PATTERN USING A SHALLOW ANGLE OF RELATION TO MY LNDG SITE -- THIS PATTERN WAS TOO LONG ON DOWNWIND BASE AND FINAL. EVEN AFTER TURNING TO FINAL A FIXED AND STABLE AIM POINT WAS ESTABLISHED. MY GLIDE PATH WAS SEVERELY AFFECTED BY TURB THEN SINK THUS REDUCING MY ABILITY TO CLR A TREE LINE PRIOR TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE LNDG STRIP. ALTERNATE FIELDS AND OFF SITES WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THAT ALT (BELOW 100 FT). MY CHOICES CONSISTED OF: 1) TRANSFER SPD TO GAIN ALT TO CLR TREE LINE. 2) TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO TREE TOPS. I CHOSE NOT TO TRANSFER SPD TO GAIN ALT AS THE RISK OF A STALL WAS IMMINENT AND LOSS OF CTL WAS INEVITABLE, THEREBY RISKING AN UNCTLABLE STALL WITH A 10 MPH HEADWIND FROM AN ALT OF APPROX 100 FT AGL. THIS TREE LINE IS APPROX 200 FT IN WIDTH, 600 FT IN LENGTH AND 70-80 FT IN HT. I DID CHOOSE TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO TREE TOPS. I REDUCED MY SPD AND GENTLY STALLED THE PLANE INTO THE TREE TOPS. VERY LITTLE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE PLANE. I RECEIVED NO PHYSICAL OR MENTAL INJURY. THE LNDG WAS CTLED AND PREDICTABLE. MY LOSS OF CRITICAL ALT NECESSARY FOR FINAL GLIDE TO LNDG WAS LOST IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. TURB AND SINK IN WIND AND CLOSE TO OBSTRUCTIONS MADE FOR VERY FEW ACCEPTABLE REMEDIAL ACTIONS. I CHOSE MY ACTION QUICKLY WITHOUT RESERVE AS THE SAFEST CTLABLE COURSE TO TAKE. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE WELL RESTED, NOT RUSHING TO CRAM SEVERAL HRS OF FLYING INTO A BUSY WORK SCHEDULE. I'M GOING TO TAKE MORE PATTERN RELATED INSTRUCTION FROM A CFIG (GLIDER) AND RECEIVE AS MUCH INFO AS POSSIBLE RELATIVE TO THE PROPER FORMATION OF PATTERN AND LNDG PROCS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.