
Is that bit above the glider burning? How does an unpowered glider burn?
I was wondering that too, but I think it's possible that is a piece of yellow material and not a chunk of burning debris. I'm not sure that's an image of a guy reaching the end of a "straight to the deck" plummet either, might have been a difficult landing because of wind and what we're seeing is the end result of the 2nd or 3rd bounce off the ground. Maybe that thing is a piece of something from the ground or bit of glider that came off from previous contact with the ground?
Glider landings can suck from what I hear. It's great you don't have anything flammable on board, no hydraulics to fail, but you only get one approach and there's no real compensating for any cross wind as you close in on the tarmac.
There is
no room to move in those canopies, at least the one I sat in once. I wonder if he just crumpled into a ball with bits of flight controls and cockpit piercing him every which way, or if from the force of impact and the angle of attack he was shot out through the canopy for a long, wet kiss with the runway.
Either way, sucks to be him. Anyone know the story on that pic?