So, we are all focusing on finish rules, etc. Would you still be
focusing on that if the pilot had made a safe, cylinder or line
finish, but flew a low approach to land at the edge of the field to
stop right by his trailer? This accident could have just as easily
been a safe finish followed by a low pattern.

I enjoyed the finish line, and I also like the finish cylinder. Heck,
I like the previous time of the flight too! It is up to us pilots to
be safe in all phases of our flights. You cannot make a rule that
will force this. Any rule that is made will have an edge that will
get tested in a way you never imagined. The new rule for this contest
can still permit the same thing to happen, if Andy's analysis is
correct. Finish at the bottom edge of the cylinder and have just
enough altitude to get to the field. All that happened is the
"finish the task bonus" moved out away from the airfield boundary.

This was a terrible accident that could have been avoided. It didn't
look like the sailplane came through a small gap in any trees, and
from the descriptions, there are lots of fields as you get close to
the airport, so he should have been able to see the truck coming.
Unless he had tunnel vision to the fence and airfield. Ever had
someone cut in front of you for landing, you change your plans, get a
bit low, and get focused only on one thing? You get pretty focused on
your landing area, and other things can go un-noticed. I suspect the
pilot was in this same "focused" mode, and never even saw the vehicles
that were crossing in front of him as he got closer to the airport.

Let's all plan our final glides and approaches with a bit more pad and
all be safe in doing what we love to do. Whether it be entering the
finish cylinder through the side, or just flying a safe pattern to a
safe landing.

Steve Leonard