Glider pilot misjudged. Landed short of runway, collided with trees.

Attributes
ACN	289512
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n70
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 90
ASRS Report	289512
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight took off at XA15 from N70 runway 31. Released glider from aerotow at 3000 ft AGL. Made several turns searching for lift. Finding none, decided to land. Entered pattern at 1500 ft MSL. Proceeded to turn base leg and then final. Encountered turbulence and could not release dive breaks soon enough. Caught tree limb with right wingtip. Rotated 180 degrees to final resting place in tree. I was too low on final. Pattern should have been higher.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLIDER PLT MISJUDGED. LANDED SHORT OF RWY, COLLIDED WITH TREES.

Narrative: FLT TOOK OFF AT XA15 FROM N70 RWY 31. RELEASED GLIDER FROM AEROTOW AT 3000 FT AGL. MADE SEVERAL TURNS SEARCHING FOR LIFT. FINDING NONE, DECIDED TO LAND. ENTERED PATTERN AT 1500 FT MSL. PROCEEDED TO TURN BASE LEG AND THEN FINAL. ENCOUNTERED TURB AND COULD NOT RELEASE DIVE BREAKS SOON ENOUGH. CAUGHT TREE LIMB WITH R WINGTIP. ROTATED 180 DEGS TO FINAL RESTING PLACE IN TREE. I WAS TOO LOW ON FINAL. PATTERN SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER.

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.