Another glider crash?

A mutual friend (thanks, Peter) mentions the DG-300 gear-instead-of-spoilers handle mishap....due to wrong-handle grabbing. There is a great write up in SOARING as a recap of that event. June 2006, Is Conservative Safe? and then July 2006, 525 Extremely Dangerous Flights.

The article(s)address several items that precipitated/contributed to that event: 1) complacence in a 'normal' landing, 2) abrupt choice to alter the approach to practice another technique mid-pattern; 3) failure to look for spoiler extension after acknowledging "this isn't decelerating the way I want", 4) I won't stop on the airport, so I should use an outside-premises-alternative,ie. never thinking that the take-off emergency place could be used in a landing situation.

Jim Skydell would be pleased to know that we are still using his recap of his aircraft loss to add to knowledge and perhaps prevent another repetition.. The big thing?? Seek training that allows you more flexibility in experiences.
Jim comments on the perception of fixation.

The nominal training in emergency procedures in (American) soaring is the source of our accident rate. Being an 'easy' solo or rating sign-off or less than rigorous in flight reviews might get more folks launched.... but it is the landings that are doing the damage. The failed landings.

It can happen to any of us.
Help each other improve. The discussions here are valuable. They urge us to review our own protocols and perhaps review our actions and procedures.

Fly safely, train often.
Cindy