What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 30, 2021, at approximately 1440 (CDT) N304AB , an expiremental Hph, spol. S.r.o glasflÜgel glider serial number 304S departed under tow from fault line flyers glider club field (TX23). The aircraft was operating on a 14 CFR part 91 flight. The glider pilot unexpectedly released from the tow aircraft turning back to the field and crashed, seriously injuring the pilot who was air evac to an austin, Texas hospital.
Tow pilot statement verbatim:
I was assigned to tow at flf 7/30/21. Did weather brief by computer from home, and telephonically (leidos) at the gliderport between 11: and 11:30 a. m. test hopped a pattern-towplane N42VA performed normally, no discrepancies. Landed and attached tow rope. Weather estimated 30%-40% cover at 3500'AGL, wind very light s e, 3-5 mph.
Started towing approx 12:30, made 7 tows to 2000-3000' AGL, all normal. Incident glider was 8th tow. My visual scan of the glider showed all normal- canopy closed, spoilers retracted, rope attached, wings level to take out slack. Radio contact established when glider pilot stated "ab is ready". (That it the last transmission I heard.) Made my departure announcement to traffic, and initiated takeoff. Takeoff normal, and glider appeared (in the mirror) to be in correct position.
At estimated 300' AGL, estimated 3000'-3500' down the runway, 70 mph, I was surprised to feel release from tow. Began a shallow left turn to look left, back, and down to confirm glider off tow. I saw the glider below (towplane by now 500'-600'), still over the runway. Could not estimate his altitude, but was concerned there may be 1000' or less if he landed straight ahead.
Saw glider initiate a left turn, then saw it touch down at what looked from my aspect and distance to be more or less wings level and landing attitude. I could not estimate his descent rate, but saw the tail boom fail and empenage section fold to the left. I was climbimg to downwind by that point, and FAR enough away that I could no longer see detail on the glider, but suspected with impact force enough to break the glider, he may be injured , or certainly would need assistance.
I could not raise anyone on the radio, so dropped the tow rope in front of operations, landed, and notified ground personnel.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 30, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 1440 (CDT) N304AB , AN EXPIREMENTAL HPH, SPOL. S.R.O GLASFLÜGEL GLIDER SERIAL NUMBER 304S DEPARTED UNDER TOW FROM FAULT LINE FLYERS GLIDER CLUB FIELD (TX23). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING ON A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. THE GLIDER PILOT UNEXPECTEDLY RELEASED FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT TURNING BACK TO THE FIELD AND CRASHED, SERIOUSLY INJURING THE PILOT WHO WAS AIR EVAC TO AN AUSTIN, TEXAS HOSPITAL.
TOW PILOT STATEMENT VERBATIM:
I WAS ASSIGNED TO TOW AT FLF 7/30/21. DID WEATHER BRIEF BY COMPUTER FROM HOME, AND TELEPHONICALLY (LEIDOS) AT THE GLIDERPORT BETWEEN 11: AND 11:30 A. M. TEST HOPPED A PATTERN-TOWPLANE N42VA PERFORMED NORMALLY, NO DISCREPANCIES. LANDED AND ATTACHED TOW ROPE. WEATHER ESTIMATED 30%-40% COVER AT 3500'AGL, WIND VERY LIGHT S E, 3-5 MPH.
STARTED TOWING APPROX 12:30, MADE 7 TOWS TO 2000-3000' AGL, ALL NORMAL. INCIDENT GLIDER WAS 8TH TOW. MY VISUAL SCAN OF THE GLIDER SHOWED ALL NORMAL- CANOPY CLOSED, SPOILERS RETRACTED, ROPE ATTACHED, WINGS LEVEL TO TAKE OUT SLACK. RADIO CONTACT ESTABLISHED WHEN GLIDER PILOT STATED "AB IS READY". (THAT IT THE LAST TRANSMISSION I HEARD.) MADE MY DEPARTURE ANNOUNCEMENT TO TRAFFIC, AND INITIATED TAKEOFF. TAKEOFF NORMAL, AND GLIDER APPEARED (IN THE MIRROR) TO BE IN CORRECT POSITION.
AT ESTIMATED 300' AGL, ESTIMATED 3000'-3500' DOWN THE RUNWAY, 70 MPH, I WAS SURPRISED TO FEEL RELEASE FROM TOW. BEGAN A SHALLOW LEFT TURN TO LOOK LEFT, BACK, AND DOWN TO CONFIRM GLIDER OFF TOW. I SAW THE GLIDER BELOW (TOWPLANE BY NOW 500'-600'), STILL OVER THE RUNWAY. COULD NOT ESTIMATE HIS ALTITUDE, BUT WAS CONCERNED THERE MAY BE 1000' OR LESS IF HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD.
SAW GLIDER INITIATE A LEFT TURN, THEN SAW IT TOUCH DOWN AT WHAT LOOKED FROM MY ASPECT AND DISTANCE TO BE MORE OR LESS WINGS LEVEL AND LANDING ATTITUDE. I COULD NOT ESTIMATE HIS DESCENT RATE, BUT SAW THE TAIL BOOM FAIL AND EMPENAGE SECTION FOLD TO THE LEFT. I WAS CLIMBIMG TO DOWNWIND BY THAT POINT, AND FAR ENOUGH AWAY THAT I COULD NO LONGER SEE DETAIL ON THE GLIDER, BUT SUSPECTED WITH IMPACT FORCE ENOUGH TO BREAK THE GLIDER, HE MAY BE INJURED , OR CERTAINLY WOULD NEED ASSISTANCE.
I COULD NOT RAISE ANYONE ON THE RADIO, SO DROPPED THE TOW ROPE IN FRONT OF OPERATIONS, LANDED, AND NOTIFIED GROUND PERSONNEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.