What happened
On April 17, 2011, a single-seat Schemlipp-Hirth Ventus 2C, registered F-CHRC, was performing a winch launch at the Nancy Malzéville aerodrome. The pilot, who was undergoing retraining in winch operations, had successfully attached the glider's hook to the cable on runway 08. As the cable tensioned and the aircraft began its acceleration, the right wing struck the ground.
Following the initial wing strike, the glider ascended but entered a right-hand yaw rotation. While the release mechanism functioned correctly, the aircraft completed a 180-degree turn before the nose impacted the ground with significant force. The aircraft sustained heavy damage, and the pilot sustained injuries.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanics of the takeoff roll and the coordination between the pilot and the wing assistant. Investigators noted that during a winch launch, if the takeoff does not occur directly into the wind or aligned with the cable, the glider may veer left or right. Correcting this requires immediate rudder input to prevent a loss of control.
At the time of the accident, the wind was from 080° at 10 to 12 knots. The person acting as the wing assistant was the pilot of the next glider scheduled for a launch. The investigation also examined the pilot's position, noting that his left hand was resting on his leg, away from the release handle located near the control stick.