On Friday, June 21, 2013 7:16:25 AM UTC-7, JohnDeRosa wrote:
Can anyone comment if the "steep nose high attitude" was intentional?

I don't think anyone can say exactly what was intentional, other than the deceased pilot.

I have heard - secondhand - that during the planning of the commercial they had wanted a shot from in front of the SUV looking back at it, with the glider rising suddenly & dramatically above it. Whether that was part of the final plans or whether they were trying to film that scene at the time of the accident is anyone's guess.

Frank - One thing to remember is that we do not _know_ if the pilot initiated the turn, or if it merely appeared so as the first phase of spin entry (i.e. a wing-drop). It is entirely possible the pilot was intending to land straight ahead but experienced an asymmetric stall (again, could've been the cross-wind, or a gust, or mechanical turbulence, or lack of coordinated controls, or whatever - we just don't know). I also don't think the satellite photo/maps show clearly if there are bushes or a fence between the runway and the large field - it is possible the pilot had better information about that than we do.

--Noel