Incident Overview
On May 9, 2021, at EPPI airfield, glider operations were conducted using car towing (autotow), while paraglider launches were concurrently laid out. During a glider's training flight, the glider's wing became entangled with a paraglider launch line. The paraglider line remained attached to the glider during ascent. The paraglider launch director radioed the situation, the autotow was interrupted, and the student pilot released the tow line at approximately 300 m AGL. The paraglider line was cut from the winch but remained with the glider until landing. The student performed a proper circling pattern and landed safely without injury.
Cause
The investigation determined the cause to be: 1) Improper coordination of glider and paraglider flights within the same landing area, using two different launch methods (glider autotow and paraglider winch). 2) Launching the glider using autotow without first removing the paraglider launch line from the launch area.
Contributing Factors
None identified.
Preventative Actions
The operator implemented the following measures:
- Discussion of the incident with involved glider pilots and a representative of the paragliding school.
- Improvement of communication between all parties by introducing more efficient means of communication and clarifying procedures for mutual notification of ground and air situations.
Safety Recommendations
None specified.