What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 16, 2001, at 1516 mountain standard time, a schleicher ASW-24E glider, N134EK, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain just south of the depature runway at the West Texas Airport, El Paso, Texas. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight. The local flight was orginating at the time of the accident. In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the tow pilot stated that at approximately 100 feet above runway 8, the tow rope broke. He then noticed the glider turn right 90 degrees, and then initiate a left turn back to the runway, with an angle of bank estimated to be "at least 90 degrees." The glider's left wing "hit the dirt at the side of the runway and spun around to the right shearing off the tail section." The deminsions of runway 8 are 7,505 feet in length and 50 feet in width. The tow pilot stated that at the time the tow rope broke "there was at least 5,000 feet of runway remaining." (-23) on December 16, 2001, at 1516 MST, a chleicher ASW-24E glider, N134EK, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain just south of the departure runway at West Texas Airport, El Paso, TX. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot. The private pilot who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the FAR part 91 flight. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. In a telephone interview with the NTSB iic, the tow pilot stated that at approximately 100 feet above runway 8, the tow rope broke. He then noticed the glider turn right 90 degrees, and then initiate a left turn back to the runway, with an angle of bank estimated to be "at least 90 degrees." The gliders left wing "hit the dirt at the side of the runway and spun around to the right shearing off the tail section." (.4) during the aerial tow takeoff of the glider, between 50 and 100 feet AGL, the tow rope broke. Witnesses observed the glider turn right, then make a left turn back towards the runway. The glider entered a steep bank to the left of approximately 90 degrees, at which time the glider stalled, impac ted the ground with its left wing and nose, cartwheeled, and came to rest in an upright position. A tailwind condition existed at the time of the takeoff.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 16, 2001, AT 1516 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A SCHLEICHER ASW-24E GLIDER, N134EK, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN JUST SOUTH OF THE DEPATURE RUNWAY AT THE WEST TEXAS AIRPORT, EL PASO, TEXAS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THE TOW PILOT STATED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE RUNWAY 8, THE TOW ROPE BROKE. HE THEN NOTICED THE GLIDER TURN RIGHT 90 DEGREES, AND THEN INITIATE A LEFT TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY, WITH AN ANGLE OF BANK ESTIMATED TO BE "AT LEAST 90 DEGREES." THE GLIDER'S LEFT WING "HIT THE DIRT AT THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND SPUN AROUND TO THE RIGHT SHEARING OFF THE TAIL SECTION." THE DEMINSIONS OF RUNWAY 8 ARE 7,505 FEET IN LENGTH AND 50 FEET IN WIDTH. THE TOW PILOT STATED THAT AT THE TIME THE TOW ROPE BROKE "THERE WAS AT LEAST 5,000 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING." (-23) ON DECEMBER 16, 2001, AT 1516 MST, A CHLEICHER ASW-24E GLIDER, N134EK, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN JUST SOUTH OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AT WEST TEXAS AIRPORT, EL PASO, TX. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FAR PART 91 FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE NTSB IIC, THE TOW PILOT STATED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE RUNWAY 8, THE TOW ROPE BROKE. HE THEN NOTICED THE GLIDER TURN RIGHT 90 DEGREES, AND THEN INITIATE A LEFT TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY, WITH AN ANGLE OF BANK ESTIMATED TO BE "AT LEAST 90 DEGREES." THE GLIDERS LEFT WING "HIT THE DIRT AT THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND SPUN AROUND TO THE RIGHT SHEARING OFF THE TAIL SECTION." (.4) DURING THE AERIAL TOW TAKEOFF OF THE GLIDER, BETWEEN 50 AND 100 FEET AGL, THE TOW ROPE BROKE. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE GLIDER TURN RIGHT, THEN MAKE A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE GLIDER ENTERED A STEEP BANK TO THE LEFT OF APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES, AT WHICH TIME THE GLIDER STALLED, IMPAC TED THE GROUND WITH ITS LEFT WING AND NOSE, CARTWHEELED, AND CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. A TAILWIND CONDITION EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE TAKEOFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.