Glider lands in trees when unable to glide to a suitable landing site.

Attributes
ACN	348667
Time
Date	199609
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : va85
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
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	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	348667
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

While traversing a gap to get to the windward side of a ridge, I encountered a very strong downdraft. I was unable to make it to a landable field and was forced to land in trees. No one was injured and there was no property damage. The glider was disassembled normally and trailered back to gliderport. Glider suffered damage to leading edges of both wings. No control surface damage was evident due to the landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GLIDER LANDS IN TREES WHEN UNABLE TO GLIDE TO A SUITABLE LNDG SITE.

Narrative: WHILE TRAVERSING A GAP TO GET TO THE WINDWARD SIDE OF A RIDGE, I ENCOUNTERED A VERY STRONG DOWNDRAFT. I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO A LANDABLE FIELD AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN TREES. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE GLIDER WAS DISASSEMBLED NORMALLY AND TRAILERED BACK TO GLIDERPORT. GLIDER SUFFERED DAMAGE TO LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS. NO CTL SURFACE DAMAGE WAS EVIDENT DUE TO THE LNDG.

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.