At around 1:20 PM, I was out pulling up small vines at the
northwest end of the main north/south runway, when I heard the tow plane
throttle back. Looking up and to the south I saw a pilot who I later learned had
released on his own, at maybe 200' heading north northwest. He needed to head
north northeast to get into the runway and not into the trees.

I watched as he made his approach coming toward me but down near the middle of
the runway to the north. The wind was out of the north at about 5 to 10 mph. He
did not look like he was in control of the glider as it went from side to side.
He certainly wasn't pulled in and as I recall he was still on the base tube. He
was flying prone in any case.

The pilot/glider continued to look out of control with minor oscillations. At
about six feet or so (as my memory serves me, and we should always be skeptical
about eye witnesses and their memory), the glider plowed in. The pilot was
laying flat out with head and shoulders in front of the left leading edge. He
didn't move. I was about 100 feet away. He landed next to the row of gliders and
at one point I thought he was going to hit them.

Ten or so pilots rushed right to him from both sides of the runway. I decided
that I didn't have much interest in seeing a dead pilot.

Apparently he was unconscious for a short period. I never saw him move, but
after a few minutes I went over to see how he was. He appeared to be lucid,
asking what happed. His helmet was now off and he was lying on his back.

The ambulance had been called.  This is what showed up:

He was transported out by the helicopter.

After the crash I heard from other pilots that he had only flown three times in
the last twenty five years. That he last towed eight months ago. That he just
purchased the glider (it appeared to be a Wills Wing Sport 2) from Wallaby
Ranch. That he had never flown nor towed it. That he had to be talked out of
flying yesterday when we had strong winds (and no one flew).

That he was confident that he could handle anything. He flew in the middle of
the day. There were some gusts and according to some witnesses it was gusty at
the time. I didn't notice that. He didn't take an early morning flight (there
was plenty of wind then also).

Pilots don't appear that eager to fly after this emotional experience.

From what I saw, he was flying in prone position the whole way to the ground.
That is not a good idea in my option. Numerous pilots who land on their wheels
do that here. The glider had the small white plastic wheels that come with Wills
Wing gliders. I didn't even notice the wheels as he came in and I was thinking
that he was trying to land prone on his wheels, but that he didn't have any.

He would have been much better served if he had rocked up earlier and had his
feet under him. He wasn't controlling the glider anyway so he might as well
prepare for a crash landing.