I've owned my ASW 24 for 26 years and have about 1,500 hours, including many national and regional contests. Lots of field landings (haha). The air brakes, in my opinion, are hardly "weak". I know there are other Std. Class gliders with bigger air brakes (the LS-4 comes to mind). And I know you said "weakest" and not "weak". But your implication is unfortunate and I disagree. No Standard Class glider that I'm aware of can rival a 15M ship with landing flaps and dive brakes (e.g., ASW 20). But the '24 brakes are perfectly adequate. And if you want a much steeper approach angle, it slips beautifully, with or without full dive brakes and with or without winglets.

I wasn't there that day nor do I know the airfield or the pilot. But I agree with Mike's assessment based on the accident report that the pilot could easily have landed straight ahead with no drama. It's dangerous to speculate but I, too, thought of the convenience factor when I first read the report. It's something all of us have considered many times, occasionally unwisely.

The convenience practice that makes me cringe is watching a glider rolling out briskly towards other gliders/trailers/vehicles/structures/people in near total reliance on the wheel brake. Those fail occasionally.

Chip Bearden