What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/7/2017, at approximately 1345 hours, the accident pilot/aircraft departed from Front Royal airport (frr), via runway 28 with a glider in tow (glider registration number N341KS). Shortly thereafter, and at approximately 200? AGL the accident aircraft descended below and to the right of the glider in tow. While at this altitude, the glider pilot, who was providing an introductory flight to a passenger seated in the Front seat, momentarily looked away from the tow plane. Once he refocused his attention to the tow plane, he did not immediately see it. Once acquired, he observed its relative position to his own. Additionally, he noticed slack in the tow cable. The glider pilot immediately disconnected from the tow plane, made a 180 degree turn, making an uneventful landing at frr.
The accident aircraft crashed on private property approximately 1,600? Northwest of the departure end of runway 28, killing the pilot. There was a small crater and earth scarring with wreckage fragments located near the crater. The tow cable was also located along the debris path. The main portion of the aircraft was approximately 65? From the crater and came to rest upright at a heading of 315 degrees. The aircraft was destroyed in the post-crash fire. Control surface cable continuity was confirmed at the site and no readable instruments were recovered.
Review of the accident aircraft logbooks reflected that all required inspections were current as of time of accident.
This is still under NTSB investigation
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/7/2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1345 HOURS, THE ACCIDENT PILOT/AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM FRONT ROYAL AIRPORT (FRR), VIA RUNWAY 28 WITH A GLIDER IN TOW (GLIDER REGISTRATION NUMBER N341KS). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 200? AGL THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT DESCENDED BELOW AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE GLIDER IN TOW. WHILE AT THIS ALTITUDE, THE GLIDER PILOT, WHO WAS PROVIDING AN INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT TO A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT, MOMENTARILY LOOKED AWAY FROM THE TOW PLANE. ONCE HE REFOCUSED HIS ATTENTION TO THE TOW PLANE, HE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SEE IT. ONCE ACQUIRED, HE OBSERVED ITS RELATIVE POSITION TO HIS OWN. ADDITIONALLY, HE NOTICED SLACK IN THE TOW CABLE. THE GLIDER PILOT IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOW PLANE, MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN, MAKING AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING AT FRR.
THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY APPROXIMATELY 1,600? NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 28, KILLING THE PILOT. THERE WAS A SMALL CRATER AND EARTH SCARRING WITH WRECKAGE FRAGMENTS LOCATED NEAR THE CRATER. THE TOW CABLE WAS ALSO LOCATED ALONG THE DEBRIS PATH. THE MAIN PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 65? FROM THE CRATER AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AT A HEADING OF 315 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST-CRASH FIRE. CONTROL SURFACE CABLE CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AT THE SITE AND NO READABLE INSTRUMENTS WERE RECOVERED.
REVIEW OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS REFLECTED THAT ALL REQUIRED INSPECTIONS WERE CURRENT AS OF TIME OF ACCIDENT.
THIS IS STILL UNDER NTSB INVESTIGATION
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.