What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 26, 2026, privacy data omitted a single engine PA-25 was towing an ASW-27 privacy data omitted at Saratoga County Airport (5B2). While climbing the glider experienced a "kiting" event and failed to disconnect from the PA-25. The tow line was a 3/8" tow rope with a single "weak link" made of similar rope was found mostly intact with some melting at the end closest to the PA-25. The failure to disconnect resulted in the towplanes’ tail being lifted up and the nose pitching down. This nose down attitude at low altitude resulted in the towplane impacting runway 32 at 5B2 with subsequent post-crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 26, 2026, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A SINGLE ENGINE PA-25 WAS TOWING AN ASW-27 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT SARATOGA COUNTY AIRPORT (5B2). WHILE CLIMBING THE GLIDER EXPERIENCED A "KITING" EVENT AND FAILED TO DISCONNECT FROM THE PA-25. THE TOW LINE WAS A 3/8" TOW ROPE WITH A SINGLE "WEAK LINK" MADE OF SIMILAR ROPE WAS FOUND MOSTLY INTACT WITH SOME MELTING AT THE END CLOSEST TO THE PA-25. THE FAILURE TO DISCONNECT RESULTED IN THE TOWPLANES’ TAIL BEING LIFTED UP AND THE NOSE PITCHING DOWN. THIS NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT LOW ALTITUDE RESULTED IN THE TOWPLANE IMPACTING RUNWAY 32 AT 5B2 WITH SUBSEQUENT POST-CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.