What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot reported take off tow was normal until just after takeoff. The elevator control seemed to have reduced effectiveness. Continued take off, turned cross wind and then down wind. At theis point the elevator control was ineffective enough that he could not maintain a position above the slip stream of the towing aircraft and decided to terminate the flight. He was at about 1000 feet and 60 knots. He turned base and made an uncontrolled landing to one side of the runway. Elevator control prevented good airspeed control. Flaps and spoilers were not used because of the possible adverse effect on the pitch attitude of glider. Glider bounced 50 feet into air on landing and tail cone broke off. Glider came to rest right side up with tail under right wing. Inspection of glider controls and systems after the accident did not lead to any conclusion on the cause of reduced control effectiveness. Possible that parachute (chsuion type) may have reduced the aft travel of stick limiting elevator action. Maintenance records indicated compliance with the regulations.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT REPORTED TAKE OFF TOW WAS NORMAL UNTIL JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ELEVATOR CONTROL SEEMED TO HAVE REDUCED EFFECTIVENESS. CONTINUED TAKE OFF, TURNED CROSS WIND AND THEN DOWN WIND. AT THEIS POINT THE ELEVATOR CONTROL WAS INEFFECTIVE ENOUGH THAT HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN A POSITION ABOVE THE SLIP STREAM OF THE TOWING AIRCRAFT AND DECIDED TO TERMINATE THE FLIGHT. HE WAS AT ABOUT 1000 FEET AND 60 KNOTS. HE TURNED BASE AND MADE AN UNCONTROLLED LANDING TO ONE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ELEVATOR CONTROL PREVENTED GOOD AIRSPEED CONTROL. FLAPS AND SPOILERS WERE NOT USED BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE PITCH ATTITUDE OF GLIDER. GLIDER BOUNCED 50 FEET INTO AIR ON LANDING AND TAIL CONE BROKE OFF. GLIDER CAME TO REST RIGHT SIDE UP WITH TAIL UNDER RIGHT WING. INSPECTION OF GLIDER CONTROLS AND SYSTEMS AFTER THE ACCIDENT DID NOT LEAD TO ANY CONCLUSION ON THE CAUSE OF REDUCED CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS. POSSIBLE THAT PARACHUTE (CHSUION TYPE) MAY HAVE REDUCED THE AFT TRAVEL OF STICK LIMITING ELEVATOR ACTION. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.