Incident Overview
On the day of the accident, the glider pilot and tow pilot were preparing to launch. The runway assistant was occupied with launching another glider, so the pilot of glider N65843 elected to connect the tow line to his own aircraft. After the tow plane taxied into position, the glider pilot attached the line.
Sequence of Events
The tow pilot observed the glider pilot enter the cockpit, taking the aft seat while a passenger occupied the front seat. Shortly thereafter, the glider pilot decided to exit the aircraft to adjust his seat cushion. As he was climbing out, the tow pilot noticed movement of the glider's rudder, which he interpreted as the signal to commence the launch. Believing the launch was authorized, the tow pilot looked away and began the takeoff roll with only the passenger remaining inside the glider.
Accident Dynamics
During the takeoff, the glider was released from the tow line. Subsequently, the glider went out of control, stalled, and crashed.