What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot states that aerial tow was initiated. Flaps were set to zero for takeoff. Wind was gusty from the west-southwest at 3 to 5 KTS. Departure initiated from runway 26. About 20 to 30 yards into the tow, the left wing began to rise. Pilot states that he applied full left aileron and left rudder to attempt to regain lateral control. Right wing tip dragged the ground. Both tow pilot and glider pilot hit the towline release at approximately the same time. However, the tow pilot was likely first to release. Witness states that tow line snapped back to the glider and may have caused damage to horizontal stabilizer. Right wing tip dragged ground and aircraft spun to the right then slid backwards to a complete stop. Damage to aft fuselage/tail boom, underside of left horizontal stabilizer, canopy cracked.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATES THAT AERIAL TOW WAS INITIATED. FLAPS WERE SET TO ZERO FOR TAKEOFF. WIND WAS GUSTY FROM THE WEST-SOUTHWEST AT 3 TO 5 KTS. DEPARTURE INITIATED FROM RUNWAY 26. ABOUT 20 TO 30 YARDS INTO THE TOW, THE LEFT WING BEGAN TO RISE. PILOT STATES THAT HE APPLIED FULL LEFT AILERON AND LEFT RUDDER TO ATTEMPT TO REGAIN LATERAL CONTROL. RIGHT WING TIP DRAGGED THE GROUND. BOTH TOW PILOT AND GLIDER PILOT HIT THE TOWLINE RELEASE AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME. HOWEVER, THE TOW PILOT WAS LIKELY FIRST TO RELEASE. WITNESS STATES THAT TOW LINE SNAPPED BACK TO THE GLIDER AND MAY HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE TO HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. RIGHT WING TIP DRAGGED GROUND AND AIRCRAFT SPUN TO THE RIGHT THEN SLID BACKWARDS TO A COMPLETE STOP. DAMAGE TO AFT FUSELAGE/TAIL BOOM, UNDERSIDE OF LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, CANOPY CRACKED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.