What happened
On July 17, 2019, a Bolkow Phoebus B-1 glider, registration N112AJ, was destroyed during a ground launch accident in the Alvord Desert, Oregon. The flight was part of an annual soaring club event, utilizing the automobile tow method where a vehicle pulls the glider via a towline.
The pilot was fatally injured in the accident. During the launch, the tow vehicle had only reached a speed of 55 mph when the glider impacted the terrain. Witnesses noted that while the initial takeoff appeared normal, the glider's nose pitched up and it rolled onto its left side before striking the ground.
Photographic evidence from the event showed that immediately after the glider became airborne, the towline became slack, causing the line parachute to deploy. The glider appeared to overrun the towline and parachute while maintaining its pitch attitude. After climbing to approximately 100-150 feet above ground level, the glider pitched up further, rolled left, and impacted the terrain in a near-vertical attitude.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that all major portions of the glider were present. The flight control system showed no mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. The investigation focused on the occurrence of the slack towline and the pilot's subsequent loss of control.