What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 08/06/2026, aircraft privacy data omitted, a Pzl-Bielsko, B1-PW-5 glider conducting auto-tow launch operation was involved in accident that caused substantial damage to the aircraft. After two aborted auto-tow attempts, the aircraft was launched and achieved flight on its third attempt; the auto-tow vehicle driver stated that pilot communication was present at the time the aircraft was released from the tow line according to witnesses, the glider achieved level flight at about 1,000 ft, leveled off, then appeared to enter a descending right spiraling turn; the glider completed several rotations prior to impacting the terrain, at a near vertical attitude, in field west of the glider-Port. In the impact, the gliders’ cockpit was crushed, both wings remain attached, and the tail sections vertical stabilizer folded; the gliders right-wing spoiler was in extended position, while the left spoiler was retracted; pilot & aircraft logbooks were not located or made available for examination; an NTSB post-accident examination of the aircraft has not been performed to date; if an examination is ordered by the NTSB, or additional information comes available, this report will be amended to include the additional facts/information.
As the FAA filed it
ON 08/06/2026, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A PZL-BIELSKO, B1-PW-5 GLIDER CONDUCTING AUTO-TOW LAUNCH OPERATION WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT THAT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER TWO ABORTED AUTO-TOW ATTEMPTS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAUNCHED AND ACHIEVED FLIGHT ON ITS THIRD ATTEMPT; THE AUTO-TOW VEHICLE DRIVER STATED THAT PILOT COMMUNICATION WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED FROM THE TOW LINE ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE GLIDER ACHIEVED LEVEL FLIGHT AT ABOUT 1,000 FT, LEVELED OFF, THEN APPEARED TO ENTER A DESCENDING RIGHT SPIRALING TURN; THE GLIDER COMPLETED SEVERAL ROTATIONS PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN, AT A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE, IN FIELD WEST OF THE GLIDER-PORT. IN THE IMPACT, THE GLIDERS’ COCKPIT WAS CRUSHED, BOTH WINGS REMAIN ATTACHED, AND THE TAIL SECTIONS VERTICAL STABILIZER FOLDED; THE GLIDERS RIGHT-WING SPOILER WAS IN EXTENDED POSITION, WHILE THE LEFT SPOILER WAS RETRACTED; PILOT & AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS WERE NOT LOCATED OR MADE AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION; AN NTSB POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED TO DATE; IF AN EXAMINATION IS ORDERED BY THE NTSB, OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COMES AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL FACTS/INFORMATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.