# Accident 20170802010279A: Ab Sportine Aviacija LAK-17A, Uvalde, TX, August 2, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 2017, 13:30 local time
- Place: Uvalde, TX
- Airport: Garner Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.2114° N, 99.7436° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2114&lon=-99.7436&mi=10
- Aircraft: N128LA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N128LA-2018-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: AB Sportine Aviacija LAK-17A (registry code 056080H, https://openairdocs.org/model/ab-sportine-aviacija-lak-17a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AB SPORTINE AVIACIJA LAK-17A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,241 total, 159 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA466](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA466) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170802010279A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AUGUST 2, 2017, N128LA LAUNCHED FROM GARNER FIELD (KUVA), IN UVALDE, TEXAS, AS PART OF A SOARING COMPETITION THAT WAS BEING HELD THERE. THE GLIDER, A LAK-17AT-18, WAS BEING TOWED BY N42VA, A PIPER PAWNEE. THE TWO AIRCRAFT WERE ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER BY A TOW ROPE, WHICH WAS ATTACHED BY TRAINED GROUND PERSONNEL FOR THE COMPETITION.

THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL, BUT THE ROPE DISCONNECTED FROM PAWNEE N42VA AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL. THE GLIDER WAS MANEUVERED TO A FIELD INSTEAD OF RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT DUE TO THE WATER FOR THE ON-BOARD BALLAST SYSTEM MAKING THE GLIDER HEAVIER WITH LESS GLIDING ABILITY. THE AIRMAN LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON A FIELD OF BRUSH WHERE IT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME. THE COCKPIT REMAINED MOSTLY UNDAMAGED AND THE AIRMAN WALKED OUT WITHOUT INJURIES.

DURING THE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE HOOKING SYSTEMS FOR THE TOW AIRCRAFT AND THE GLIDER WERE IN GOOD ORDER, AS WELL AS, THE ROPE. THE HOOKING AND RELEASE MECHANISMS WERE ALL TESTED AND THE ROPE WAS INSPECTED FOR FRAYS AND HOOK RING INTEGRITY.

SEVERAL SME'S WERE INTERVIEWED AND IT IS THE BELIEVE THAT THE TOW ROPE WASN'T PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE TOW PLANE, LEADING TO A DISCONNECT AT TOO LOW OF AN ALTITUDE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA17CA466](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA466), Aug 2, 2017: AB Sportine Aviacija LAK 17 (N128LA), Uvalde, TX, destroyed. Probable cause: The ground crewmember’s failure to fully engage the tow hook release arm during preflight, which resulted in the premature release of the glider at insufficient altitude to complete a safe landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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