What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)According to the pilot, the glider was being towed for takeoff by a truck. As the glider reached its takeoff speed of 45 knots, he remembers pulling back on the control stick. From that point on, the pilot has no recollection of the events that took place. According to the tow driver, on takeoff, the glider rotated sharply nose up, rolled left, and struck the ground inverted. The FAA inspector stated the pilot had not flown this type of high performance glider in the last 30 days. He also stated the glider stalled and began a left spin on initial tow, due to the pilot rotating too hard, too fast, and too low to the ground. The nose pitched up above 90 degrees, allowing the tow cable to automatically release, and the glider stalled approximately 75 feet above the ground. It impacted the ground inverted, downwind from the runway centerline. (-23) the glider stalled on initial auto tow launch, at about 75 feet altitude. The nose pitched up beyond 90 degrees allowing the tow cable to automatically back release and the glider impacted the ground and inverted 120 feet downwind of runway center line and sliding to a stop in 30 feet. The can opy was destroyed and the pilot was conscious but in a daze. Pilot sustained minor injuries of the face, arms and knees. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE GLIDER WAS BEING TOWED FOR TAKEOFF BY A TRUCK. AS THE GLIDER REACHED ITS TAKEOFF SPEED OF 45 KNOTS, HE REMEMBERS PULLING BACK ON THE CONTROL STICK. FROM THAT POINT ON, THE PILOT HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE. ACCORDING TO THE TOW DRIVER, ON TAKEOFF, THE GLIDER ROTATED SHARPLY NOSE UP, ROLLED LEFT, AND STRUCK THE GROUND INVERTED. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THE PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN THIS TYPE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE GLIDER IN THE LAST 30 DAYS. HE ALSO STATED THE GLIDER STALLED AND BEGAN A LEFT SPIN ON INITIAL TOW, DUE TO THE PILOT ROTATING TOO HARD, TOO FAST, AND TOO LOW TO THE GROUND. THE NOSE PITCHED UP ABOVE 90 DEGREES, ALLOWING THE TOW CABLE TO AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE, AND THE GLIDER STALLED APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED, DOWNWIND FROM THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. (-23) THE GLIDER STALLED ON INITIAL AUTO TOW LAUNCH, AT ABOUT 75 FEET ALTITUDE. THE NOSE PITCHED UP BEYOND 90 DEGREES ALLOWING THE TOW CABLE TO AUTOMATICALLY BACK RELEASE AND THE GLIDER IMPACTED THE GROUND AND INVERTED 120 FEET DOWNWIND OF RUNWAY CENTER LINE AND SLIDING TO A STOP IN 30 FEET. THE CAN OPY WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS CONSCIOUS BUT IN A DAZE. PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES OF THE FACE, ARMS AND KNEES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.