What happened
On March 26, 1998, at approximately 13:30, a Jodel D 140 Mousquetaire, registration D-EBAQ, was engaged in a glider towing operation near Lardier-et-Vallença, France. Two minutes after takeoff, while flying at an altitude of less than 200 meters, the Schleicher ASW 19 B glider moved into a high position relative to the towing aircraft.
This sudden change in position caused the tow aircraft to become unbalanced, resulting in a severe nose-down attitude. The pilot of the Jodel D 140 Mousquetaier immediately released the tow cable and attempted to recover from the dive. However, due to the insufficient altitude, the pilot was unable to complete the recovery maneuver before the aircraft struck the ground. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact, and the pilot sustained slight injuries.
The glider pilot, who had been operating out of Gap for several days without prior incident, was able to return to the airfield and land safely after alerting authorities.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the tow phase and the aerodynamic stability of the aircraft following the glider's ascent. Investigators examined the flight conditions, which were characterized by clear skies, visibility of 15 km, and light turbulence, with winds between 8 and 12 knots.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the glider ascending into a high position without the release of the tow cable.
- The resulting imbalance forced the tow aircraft into a steep dive.
- The low altitude at the time of the event prevented the pilot from successfully executing a recovery maneuver.