What happened
On April 29, 2012, a Scheibe SF-25C motor glider was performing glider towing operations as part of club flight activities near Fulda-Johannisau, Germany. After completing a tow, the pilot returned to the airfield to land on runway 23.
As the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 30 meters, the pilot released the towline. Witnesses observed the towline detaching from the motor glider and becoming entangled in a perimeter fence. Following this release, the aircraft entered a steep descent. Observers noted that the pilot made no visible attempt to recover the aircraft before it struck the ground near the threshold of runway 23. At the time of the approach, the aircraft's airspeed and engine noise appeared normal. The impact caused heavy damage to the aircraft, and the pilot was rescued from the wreckage with one person seriously injured.
The investigation
The BFU investigation focused on the sequence of events following the towline release and the condition of the aircraft. Investigators examined the wreckage, noting that the forward section of the Scheibe SF-25C was severely damaged, including a bent engine mount, a torn oil cooler, and the destruction of the propeller, spinner, and engine cowling. Both landing gear legs were broken.
Technical inspections of the flight controls, engine, and airframe were conducted. The investigation established that there were no mechanical defects found in the aircraft's control systems or the engine. The pilot, who had significant experience in motor gliders and was qualified for towing, reported having no memory of the accident sequence.