Incident Overview
During a climb with a glider in tow, the tow aircraft unexpectedly pitched nose up. The pilots of both the glider and the tow aircraft released the tow rope, and the glider pilot executed a safe landing. However, the tow aircraft maintained a nose-high attitude, subsequently stalled, and entered an uncontrolled descent before crashing.
Investigation Findings
An investigation into the accident revealed that the lower elevator control cable was not attached to the control horn. The attach bolt was found with only its tip inserted into the hole of the lower control horn, while the associated nut and cotter pin were not located. The aircraft log indicated that an annual inspection had been performed approximately 30 flight hours prior to the accident. During that inspection, the controls were lubricated and checked, and the airframe was re-covered with fabric. The pilot's last biennial flight review was conducted on February 7, 1982.