Incident
On 22 August 1999 at 1330 UTC, a Piper PA-25-235 aircraft, registration G-CMGC, was preparing for an aerotow glider launch at Long Mynd Airfield in Shropshire. The aircraft, manufactured in 1977 and powered by a Lycoming O-540-B2C5 piston engine, was operated on a private flight with one pilot and no passengers.
Sequence of Events
The tug aircraft moved forward after receiving the 'take up slack' signal from the glider. The 'all out' signal was given, but the glider had overrun the tow cable and the cable had back-released. By this time, the tug pilot had applied full take-off power and the aircraft was moving forward. The glider pilot transmitted 'stop stop stop' over the radio. The tug pilot simultaneously applied the brakes and closed the throttle. The aircraft pitched forward onto its nose, and the propeller struck the ground. The aircraft then returned to the normal tail-down attitude.
Damage and Injuries
The propeller and other unspecified components were damaged. The pilot, who held a Private Pilot's Licence and was 39 years old, reported no injuries. The pilot's total flying experience was 90 hours, of which 14 were on type. In the preceding 90 days and 28 days, he had flown 2 hours.
Pilot's Assessment
The pilot considered that the brakes had been applied too sharply while the throttle was still fully open.