What happened
On January 6, 2025, at approximately 14:10 local time, a MYD JS-MD 3 glider experienced an incident during a tow launch at the Municipal Aerodrome of Vitacura (SCLC) in Chile's Metropolitan Region. The pilot was attempting to take off from runway 26 while being towed by another aircraft. During the initial phase of the departure, the pilot aborted the takeoff. Instead of stopping on the paved surface, the glider veered off the left side of the runway and collided with a perimeter containment wall and some shrubbery.
The impact caused the aircraft to come to rest outside the runway boundaries, supported by its left wing and the rear section of the tail cone. The pilot, a 69-year-old Chilean national holding a private glider license, was uninjured. However, the investigation noted structural fractures in the forward fuselage skin.
The investigation — what DGAC Chile examined and established
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) initiated a preliminary inquiry under ICAO Annex 13 standards. Investigators reconstructed the flight path from the runway threshold to the final resting position against the wall on the aerodrome's southwest perimeter. They verified that the aircraft was within its weight and balance limits and that all required documentation, including the airworthiness certificate and registration, was valid and present on board.
Meteorological records indicated that conditions were suitable for Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) at the time of the event. The DGAC also confirmed that the operator had been performing mandatory maintenance at an authorized center. The aircraft is a 2020 model equipped with a retractable turbine engine for flight assistance, though the incident occurred during a standard tow launch.
Findings
The preliminary evidence points to an aborted takeoff maneuver that resulted in the glider losing directional control or failing to stop within the available runway length. This led to the aircraft leaving the paved surface and impacting the perimeter infrastructure. No mechanical failure was immediately indicated as the primary cause, with the focus remaining on the pilot's decision-making during the abort phase.
Safety action
The investigation is currently in the data collection and analysis phase. The DGAC aims to determine the specific causal factors to issue safety recommendations regarding operational procedures for this type of glider.