What happened
During a routine training exercise, a dual-control glider was being prepared for a towed takeoff. As the aircraft began its acceleration down the runway, the student pilot in the left seat struggled to keep the glider aligned with the centerline. The instructor pilot, seated on the right, immediately assumed control of the aircraft in an effort to correct the deviation.
Despite the instructor's intervention, the remedial actions taken were insufficient to prevent the glider from leaving the paved surface. The pilot delayed the decision to abort the takeoff until it was too late. Consequently, the glider veered off the runway and struck a taxiway marker located near the edge of the tarmac.
The investigation
Examination of the event focused on the sequence of control inputs during the critical phase of the takeoff roll. The primary issue identified was the loss of directional control by the student pilot, which necessitated the instructor's takeover. The analysis highlighted that the timing of the abort decision contributed to the severity of the incident, as contact with the marker occurred after the runway boundary had been crossed.
Findings
The accident was caused by a combination of factors related to pilot proficiency and decision-making during the takeoff phase. Key contributing elements included:
- Loss of directional control by the student pilot during the initial acceleration.
- Inadequate remedial actions by the instructor pilot to regain runway alignment.
- Delayed abort decision, which resulted in the aircraft departing the runway surface.
The event underscores the importance of maintaining precise directional control during towed takeoffs and the necessity of timely go-around or abort decisions when deviations occur.