What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
• Second smaller windsock on the airfield specifically for the glider operations was showing a 90° crosswind of 7-8 knots
• Tow cable for vehicle launch operations is hooked to center of plane near center of gravity to allow plane to pitch up and gain velocity climbing against the tension of the rope
• Wind was pushing plane off course during takeoff, pilot compensated
• Once airborne a gust of wind lifted the right wing and pilot could not counter using flight control inputs
• Pilot did not want to disconnect right away concerned that loss of forward velocity from tow vehicle would result in a stall
• When the glider began banking to the left causing it to side-load the tow rope automatically released as it was designed to do
Summary:
Left wing hit the ground, then the nose hit and the aircraft came to rest on the landing gear. Plane was significantly damaged but neither occupant was injured
As the FAA filed it
• SECOND SMALLER WINDSOCK ON THE AIRFIELD SPECIFICALLY FOR THE GLIDER OPERATIONS WAS SHOWING A 90° CROSSWIND OF 7-8 KNOTS
• TOW CABLE FOR VEHICLE LAUNCH OPERATIONS IS HOOKED TO CENTER OF PLANE NEAR CENTER OF GRAVITY TO ALLOW PLANE TO PITCH UP AND GAIN VELOCITY CLIMBING AGAINST THE TENSION OF THE ROPE
• WIND WAS PUSHING PLANE OFF COURSE DURING TAKEOFF, PILOT COMPENSATED
• ONCE AIRBORNE A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE RIGHT WING AND PILOT COULD NOT COUNTER USING FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS
• PILOT DID NOT WANT TO DISCONNECT RIGHT AWAY CONCERNED THAT LOSS OF FORWARD VELOCITY FROM TOW VEHICLE WOULD RESULT IN A STALL
• WHEN THE GLIDER BEGAN BANKING TO THE LEFT CAUSING IT TO SIDE-LOAD THE TOW ROPE AUTOMATICALLY RELEASED AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO
SUMMARY:
LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND, THEN THE NOSE HIT AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE LANDING GEAR. PLANE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED BUT NEITHER OCCUPANT WAS INJURED
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.