Speculation about fact is generally futile - go get the facts.

I am no expert but experience and some reading indicate that we can't trust our memory of events as much as we would
like - our conscious capabilities tend to get overwhelmed, and we miss things. Overwhelming events induce confusion and
or amnesia in varying degrees. Then along comes the conscious part of the mind (back from it's boot up) and fills in
the gaps. Which is one reason it is important to try to write things down as soon as possible after an incident before
we start to develop illusory memories.

So - Mike did a good thing writing the facts as he recalls them down - a.s.a.p.

As an aside - I believe speculation about how similar situations might develop is useful if we think and analyse and
possibly get a little safer.

Fred Blair wrote:
For the day, RG1 shows 'no flight log',

"Andy" wrote in message
...
On Aug 12, 4:28 pm, wrote:

Just received an email from the bailout pilot--Mike Brooks of the
Greater Houston Soaring Assoc. This is his account and is being posted
for the educational purpose of understanding what happened, from his
perspective. The investigation into the accident is still ongoing and
this is his basic account (he was flying a Genesis II):

Thanks for posting the report. Glad both pilots survived what must
have been a very frightening experience.

Any report on damage to the Ventus? I would imagine it must have
received substantial damage too.

We don't have many contest mid-airs. The last one I heard of was also
at Uvalde, also in a thermal, but that resulted in much less damage
and both pilots got home ok.

A bit surprised, perhaps even amused, that RG1 received an airport
bonus. There must be more to that story.

http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/a...a/10_110RG.txt

Andy