20090823053599A

On August 23, 2009 at approximately 2325Z, N6353Z, a PA-25, departed runway 33 at the Creswell Hobby airport with N65974, a Schweizer sgs 2-33A glider in tow. The glider was operated by a student pilot on his second solo flight. After departure, the glider pilot reported that he made a standard 200 foot call out. Shortly thereafter, the glider pilot heard a rattling sound behind his right shoulder. The glider pilot then glanced over his right shoulder to see the door unlatched. As the glider pilot turned back around, he noticed that the tow plane was below him and he could only see the top of the canopy. Shortly thereafter, the glider pilot pitched down in an attempt to get level with the tow plane. As he pitched down he noted slack developing in the tow rope as the glider passed over the top of the tow plane. At this point, the glider pilot released and made a 180 degree turn back to the airport and landed without incident. The tow plane crashed shortly thereafter in a field just north of the airport. The tow pilot died at the scene. On scene, the tow ring was still attached to the tow airplane's tow hook. The hook was a Schweizer design and was mounted in an inverted position. The tow hook was still closed around the tow ring. The plate to which the tow hook was attached was bent up and the heads of two connecting bolts were in contact with the base of the rudder. The tow rope was also present at the accident site with the ring that attaches to the glider. No discontinuities were noted with the in the flight controls. The NTSB subsequently inspected the engine and found no evidence of pre-impact engine damage.