What happened
On Wednesday, March 24, 1999, at 15:05, a Schempp Hirth Janus C glider, registered F-CALH, was performing a towed takeoff from runway 25L at Oloron. During the takeoff roll, approximately halfway down the runway, the glider transitioned into a high position relative to the tow plane. The tow plane was unable to gain sufficient altitude to maintain the tow.
In an attempt to descend, the glider pilot deployed the airbrakes and subsequently retracted them. The tow pilot, believing the aircraft would be unable to clear the trees located at the end of the departure path, decided to release the tow cable and continued a climb. No radio communication occurred between the two aircraft from the moment the glider reached the high position until the cable release.
At an altitude of approximately 20 meters, the glider pilot initiated a right-hand 180-degree turn to perform an emergency landing on runway 07L. During the completion of the turn, the right wingtip struck the ground, causing the nose of the aircraft to impact the runway violently. The accident resulted in one injury (the passenger) and the total destruction of the aircraft.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the takeoff roll and the lack of communication between the crew members. Investigators examined the flight path of both the glider and the tow plane, specifically noting the transition to a high position and the subsequent decision-making process regarding the cable release and the emergency maneuver.