# Accident 20210730013369A: Hph Spol Sro Kutna Hora GLASFLUGEL 304S, Briggs, TX, July 30, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 30, 2021, 16:11 local time - Place: Briggs, TX - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Other, Specify - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.8563° N, 97.9459° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.8563&lon=-97.9459&mi=10 - Aircraft: N304AB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N304AB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: HPH Spol Sro Kutna Hora GLASFLUGEL 304S (registry code 05627DY, https://openairdocs.org/model/hph-spol-sro-kutna-hora-glasflugel-304s) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: NONE (registry code 00000, https://openairdocs.org/engine/none) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HPH SPOL SRO KUTNA HORA GLASFLUGEL 304S - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 2,878 total, 1,603 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA346](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA346) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210730013369A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## 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 CEN21LA346](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA346), Jul 30, 2021: HpH, Spol. S.R.O. Glasflügel 304S (N304AB), Briggs, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The overstress fracture of the elevator control tube due to reduced wall thickness from water intrusion and subsequent corrosion. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a drain hole at the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.