What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Appears glider was tail heavy at take-off from eye witness accounts of glider pitching upward behind tow plane. Tow plane pilot stated at take-off roll he could see glider in his rear view mirror very high and pitching from side to side. At approximatey 150 feet tow pilot felt glider release violently. Tow pilot assumed tow rope broke so tow pilot released tow rope from his end. Glider stalled and impacted ground at high angle about 300 yards west of runway. At the crash sight it was noted the aircraft still had a tow dolly attached to tail. This ground handling device is supposed to be removed before flight. This item if not removed will make glider fly tail heavy pitching glider up.
As the FAA filed it
APPEARS GLIDER WAS TAIL HEAVY AT TAKE-OFF FROM EYE WITNESS ACCOUNTS OF GLIDER PITCHING UPWARD BEHIND TOW PLANE. TOW PLANE PILOT STATED AT TAKE-OFF ROLL HE COULD SEE GLIDER IN HIS REAR VIEW MIRROR VERY HIGH AND PITCHING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. AT APPROXIMATEY 150 FEET TOW PILOT FELT GLIDER RELEASE VIOLENTLY. TOW PILOT ASSUMED TOW ROPE BROKE SO TOW PILOT RELEASED TOW ROPE FROM HIS END. GLIDER STALLED AND IMPACTED GROUND AT HIGH ANGLE ABOUT 300 YARDS WEST OF RUNWAY. AT THE CRASH SIGHT IT WAS NOTED THE AIRCRAFT STILL HAD A TOW DOLLY ATTACHED TO TAIL. THIS GROUND HANDLING DEVICE IS SUPPOSED TO BE REMOVED BEFORE FLIGHT. THIS ITEM IF NOT REMOVED WILL MAKE GLIDER FLY TAIL HEAVY PITCHING GLIDER UP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.