What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 05/04/2009 privacy data omitted was pilot of N17TD an H-201B glider that crashed on takeoff and subsequent landing following a winch launch at meadowlake airport, Colorado springs co. the winch failed to accelerate the glider to the correct flying and climbing speed. After a short climb to 20 ft AGL and aglide from that altitude, the glider descended and then flared high in the approach sequence. The glider then impacted the ground disintegrating the main wheel and tire and breaking the fuselage behind the aft main gear bulkhead.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 05/04/2009 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOT OF N17TD AN H-201B GLIDER THAT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT LANDING FOLLOWING A WINCH LAUNCH AT MEADOWLAKE AIRPORT, COLORADO SPRINGS CO. THE WINCH FAILED TO ACCELERATE THE GLIDER TO THE CORRECT FLYING AND CLIMBING SPEED. AFTER A SHORT CLIMB TO 20 FT AGL AND AGLIDE FROM THAT ALTITUDE, THE GLIDER DESCENDED AND THEN FLARED HIGH IN THE APPROACH SEQUENCE. THE GLIDER THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND DISINTEGRATING THE MAIN WHEEL AND TIRE AND BREAKING THE FUSELAGE BEHIND THE AFT MAIN GEAR BULKHEAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.