What happened
On October 30, 2021, at the Aeroclub Diamante in Entre Ríos, Argentina, a Schweizer SGU2-22 glider, registered LV-EFH, was involved in an ground incident during a training flight operation. The aircraft was positioned for a winch launch, attached to the cable of a winch system. At the time of the event, both the instructor and the student pilot were outside of the aircraft.
While the crew was not at the controls, the winch operator activated the machinery. This caused the glider to begin its takeoff roll without any pilot onboard to manage the flight path. Upon realizing that the aircraft was moving under power without a pilot, the winch operator immediately engaged the release mechanism to disengage the cable. Despite this emergency intervention, the glider lost stability and plummeted to the ground, resulting in the destruction of the airframe.
The investigation
The Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST) conducted a technical review of the incident. Investigators examined the sequence of events involving the winch operation and the status of the aircraft and crew at the moment of the accidental takeoff. The investigation focused on the mechanical actions of the winch operator and the physical state of the Schweizer S/G 2-22 following the impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the accidental activation of the winch while the aircraft was unoccupied.
- The crew (instructor and student) were not inside the cockpit when the takeoff roll commenced.
- The aircraft sustained damage sufficient to render it destroyed.
- The incident did not result in any fatalities or injuries to the ground personnel or crew.