What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Glider tow plane while towing glider lost aileron and elevator control function when hit turbulence and stick detached from torgue tube pivot point at 4000' MSL and 2000' AGL 7 miles east of 2SO. Glider released safely. Tow plane pilot declared emergency and turned back to 2SO using rudder, pitch trim and throtle to control heading altitude and roll during descent to runway 28 (2SO). At 20' AGL over grass runway, when power was pulled for landing aircraft rolled right uncontrollably and aircraft hit hard on right gear bounced vearing right and landing on both mains heading off runway into field, where it struck a berm and sheared off both landing gear spinning hard to right. Both wings were severely damaged sliding on ground and by landing gear striking them. Propeller impacted ground and engine mount is bent to right. Aircraft came to rest and pilot exited unassisted with minor head injuries. No fire reported.
As the FAA filed it
GLIDER TOW PLANE WHILE TOWING GLIDER LOST AILERON AND ELEVATOR CONTROL FUNCTION WHEN HIT TURBULENCE AND STICK DETACHED FROM TORGUE TUBE PIVOT POINT AT 4000' MSL AND 2000' AGL 7 MILES EAST OF 2SO. GLIDER RELEASED SAFELY. TOW PLANE PILOT DECLARED EMERGENCY AND TURNED BACK TO 2SO USING RUDDER, PITCH TRIM AND THROTLE TO CONTROL HEADING ALTITUDE AND ROLL DURING DESCENT TO RUNWAY 28 (2SO). AT 20' AGL OVER GRASS RUNWAY, WHEN POWER WAS PULLED FOR LANDING AIRCRAFT ROLLED RIGHT UNCONTROLLABLY AND AIRCRAFT HIT HARD ON RIGHT GEAR BOUNCED VEARING RIGHT AND LANDING ON BOTH MAINS HEADING OFF RUNWAY INTO FIELD, WHERE IT STRUCK A BERM AND SHEARED OFF BOTH LANDING GEAR SPINNING HARD TO RIGHT. BOTH WINGS WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED SLIDING ON GROUND AND BY LANDING GEAR STRIKING THEM. PROPELLER IMPACTED GROUND AND ENGINE MOUNT IS BENT TO RIGHT. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AND PILOT EXITED UNASSISTED WITH MINOR HEAD INJURIES. NO FIRE REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.