What happened
On June 12, 1999, at approximately 17:45, a single-seat Schempp-Hirth Ventus B glider, registration OO-LIT, was performing a local flight at the Château-Arnoux-St Auban aerodrome. During the takeoff roll, after the aircraft had traveled approximately 200 meters, it suddenly adopted an extreme nose-up attitude.
In an attempt to manage the situation, the pilot released the tow cable. However, the aircraft's momentum caused it to tilt to the left, resulting in the left wing striking the ground. The impact caused the glider to pivot around the contact point, leading to a subsequent crash into the terrain. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and survived the incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the aircraft's behavior during the initial stages of the takeoff roll and the pilot's actions regarding the aircraft's configuration. The pilot reported that the takeoff surface was particularly bumpy, which caused significant vibration throughout the cockpit. In an effort to compensate for the difficult surface and achieve lift more rapidly, the pilot decided to extend the flaps slightly during the roll.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was difficulty in controlling the aircraft's pitch following the deployment of flaps.
- The pilot's decision to extend the flaps to counteract the effects of a bumpy runway surface led to an uncontrollable, steep nose-up attitude.
- The aircraft sustained severe damage as a result of the impact with the ground.