Accident Overview
On 25 June 2023 at approximately 12:30 UTC, a glider towing flight ended in a crash near Nikolsdorf, Austria. The tug aircraft, a Robin DR400/180R, was towing a glider on a 30-metre tow rope when, shortly after takeoff at low altitude, the glider's cockpit canopy opened. This caused the glider to climb above the tug, lifting the tug's tail and leading to an uncontrolled descent. The tug impacted the ground in a maize field at coordinates N 46°47'41" E 012°53'07" (elevation 638 m) and was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The pilot of the tug was killed. The tow rope broke at the glider-side coupling, allowing the glider to separate and land safely back at the departure airfield without damage.
Location and Time
The accident occurred at Nikolsdorf 46, municipality of Nikolsdorf, in East Tyrol, Austria. The time was 12:30 UTC. The safety investigation was notified at 12:44 UTC by the search and rescue centre of Austro Control GmbH.
Aircraft Details
The tug aircraft was a Robin DR400/180R, a single-engine motor glider tug registered in Germany. The glider involved was not specified in the summary. The exact registration and operator details were not provided in the initial report.
Investigation
The Austrian Safety Investigation Board – Civil Aviation division initiated an investigation in accordance with EU Regulation 996/2010. The investigation focused on the flight sequence and technical aspects. The final report concluded with findings and probable causes, though these were not detailed in the provided summary.