What happened
The accident occurred during the initial phase of a towed flight. The glider pilot reported that his aircraft fell out of position behind the tow plane as they climbed out from the departure airport. Concerned that the continued tension on the tow line might pull the tow plane out of control at low altitude, the pilot made the decision to release the tow line.
After releasing the connection, the pilot attempted to maneuver the glider back toward the departure airport for a landing. During this return attempt, the glider descended and impacted trees located on the edge of the airport property. The aircraft came to rest in an adjacent bean field following the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of position and the subsequent crash. No mechanical failure of the glider or tow equipment was indicated in the narrative provided. The primary factor identified was the pilot's decision to release the tow line due to safety concerns regarding the tow plane's control at low altitude.
Findings
The accident was caused by the glider falling out of position behind the tow plane during initial climbout. The pilot's attempt to return to the airport after releasing the tow line resulted in a controlled flight into terrain, specifically trees and a bean field on the airport perimeter.