What happened
On August 25, 1995, at approximately 15:00, a LAK-12 glider, registration LY-GKF, was involved in an accident during takeoff from the Panevėžys Aeroclub aerodrome. The glider was being towed by a Wilga-35A, registration LY-AJC, operated by the Alytus Aeroclub.
As the aircraft began its takeoff roll on a heading of 30°, the glider reached an airspeed of approximately 70-80 km/h when its right wing caught the grass on the aerodrome surface. This contact caused the glider to veer to the right and rotate 180°. The nose of the aircraft subsequently struck the ground, resulting in the destruction of the cockpit canopy and a fracture of the fuselage. The pilot sustained injuries to his face and right leg and was transported to the hospital by road.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the impact and the operational procedures used during the takeoff roll. The investigation focused on the timing of the release from the tow plane and the takeoff rotation speed of the lead aircraft.