On September 24, 1995, a Piper PA-25-235B (registration N7753Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Highland, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: a communication misunderstanding between the tow pilot and the glider pilot. Factors related to the accident were: the tow rope becoming entangled, excessive taxispeed by the tow pilot, and the unavailability of a dispatcher. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Confusion between tow pilot and glider pilots regarding tow plan and hand signals resulted in a glider pilot becoming entangled in the tow rope and being knocked to the ground when the tow plane accelerated to 15 mph.
Incident Overview
The accident occurred during glider towing operations when confusion arose between the tow pilot and the glider pilots over the plan regarding which glider would be towed by which tow plane. One glider pilot began retrieving the tow rope using an around-the-waist method instead of using a tow rope hook.
Sequence of Events
There was further confusion regarding the hand signal intended to signal the tow plane to stop. Instead of stopping, the tow plane increased its taxi speed to approximately 15 mph. As a result, the glider pilot became entangled in the tow rope and was knocked to the ground.
Organizational Factors
The soaring association did not have a dispatcher present at the time of the accident.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…