What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Witnesses to the events stated that they observed the pawnee (tow plane) enter a higher than normal climb after a normal take-off. The glider which was on tow attempted to match the rate of climb but was unable to keep up. The tow rope between the aircraft went slack. The pawnee (tow plane) dropped its nose and gained sufficient airspeed to pull the slack out of the tow rope. The pawnee initiated an excessively nose high condition again, and the rope between the aircraft went slack again. At approximately 300 ft. AGL the glider released from the tow rope and executed a 270 degree turn to the right and landed across the runways. During this time the pawnee's nose stayed high and then the aircraft stalled and entered a spin to the right. The pawnee impacted the ground in an excessively nose down condition and was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WITNESSES TO THE EVENTS STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE PAWNEE (TOW PLANE) ENTER A HIGHER THAN NORMAL CLIMB AFTER A NORMAL TAKE-OFF. THE GLIDER WHICH WAS ON TOW ATTEMPTED TO MATCH THE RATE OF CLIMB BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP UP. THE TOW ROPE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT SLACK. THE PAWNEE (TOW PLANE) DROPPED ITS NOSE AND GAINED SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO PULL THE SLACK OUT OF THE TOW ROPE. THE PAWNEE INITIATED AN EXCESSIVELY NOSE HIGH CONDITION AGAIN, AND THE ROPE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT SLACK AGAIN. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. AGL THE GLIDER RELEASED FROM THE TOW ROPE AND EXECUTED A 270 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT AND LANDED ACROSS THE RUNWAYS. DURING THIS TIME THE PAWNEE'S NOSE STAYED HIGH AND THEN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE PAWNEE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN EXCESSIVELY NOSE DOWN CONDITION AND WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.