What happened
On July 7, 2016, at 11:38 local time, a Rolladen-Schneider LS6-18W glider, registered F-CHSM, was performing a local flight at the Buno Bonnevaux airfield. The aircraft was undergoing a takeoff roll via aerotow on unpaved runway 10. Approximately 50 meters into the takeoff roll, the left wing made contact with the ground, causing the glider to perform a nose-over. The pilot was unable to release the tow cable before the aircraft overturned.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the takeoff roll and the pilot's actions regarding the release mechanism. The pilot, who held a glider pilot license with 1,700 total flight hours, reported that the wind conditions were light with a right crosswind. A critical factor identified during the investigation was the pilot's positioning relative to the release handle; the pilot noted that had their hand been on the release handle during the takeoff roll, the cable could have been jettisoned more rapidly.
Findings
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage during the incident.
- The primary contributing factor was the pilot's failure to keep their hand on the release handle during the takeoff roll, which delayed the release of the tow cable after the wing strike.
- The investigation noted that while aerotow takeoffs are less dynamic than winch launches, they still require high levels of vigilance to ensure immediate cable release in the event of a wing strike.