Southern UT

An experienced and well trained P2 who was not current launched a gentle sloped launch with a long takeoff that ended with a drop off and a shelf below. The launch proceed in a text book fashion until the abrupt drop off when the glider deflated. The recovery from the deflation took place but not before the pilot encountered the lower shelf. Presumably, he hit the lower shelf and then flew back out into the air and subsequently came to rest some distance below the shelf. We all need to 1) actively work the brakes during the launch process to prevent deflations 2) be ready for the 1 in a 1000 deflation during the launch process and 3)need to choose foregiving sites when we are not current.