Mid-air collision between tow plane and glider during landing approach

Casualties unknown • Highland, IL, US

A Piper PA-25 tow plane collided with a Blanik L-23 glider while both aircraft were on their base legs for landing at an airfield.

What happened

A Piper PA-25 tow plane was used to tow a Blanik L-23 glider to approximately 1,200 feet AGL west of the airport. Following the release of the glider, the tow pilot returned to the airstrip and entered a right traffic pattern from the east to land on the powered runway (runway 3<0xA0>6).

Simultaneously, the glider pilot, having failed to find expected lift, entered a left downwind for landing on the parallel sailplane runway (runway 3<0xC2><0xA0>6). Due to another sailplane being positioned ahead of the Blanik, the pilot extended the downwind turn to the base leg. During this maneuver, the glider was lower than normal and further from the runway.

As the tow plane reached its base leg for the powered runway, the glider pilot elected to land on the powered runway, which is available for gliders in emergency situations, because the glider was low and a preceding aircraft had just landed. The pilot of the PA-25 reported that the Blanik was not visible in front of or underneath the tow plane. As the Blanik touched down, the PA-25 landed on top of the glider, straddling it until both aircraft came to a stop. Both aircraft were owned and operated by the same soaring association, and neither aircraft was equipped with a radio.

Probable cause

The collision occurred because the glider pilot transitioned to the powered runway while the tow plane was on its base leg, combined with the fact that neither aircraft had a radio for communication.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1996-09-14 Piper PA-25 accident near Highland, IL?

A Piper PA-25 tow plane collided with a Blanik L-23 glider while both aircraft were on their base legs for landing at an airfield.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1996-09-14 involved a Piper PA-25, registration N7753Z, at Highland, IL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The collision occurred because the glider pilot transitioned to the powered runway while the tow plane was on its base leg, combined with the fact that neither aircraft had a radio for communication.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X06698. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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