What happened
On 22 August 1999, a Piper PA-25-235, registration G-CMGC, was involved in an incident at Long Mynd Airfield, Shropshire, during a private aerotow operation. The aircraft was in the process of preparing to launch a glider. Following the 'take up slack' signal, the tug aircraft began moving forward with the tow rope connected.
After the 'all out' signal was issued, it was discovered that the glider had overran the cable, causing it to back-release from the tow rope. At this moment, the pilot of the Piper PA-25-235 had already applied full takeoff power and the aircraft was gaining speed. Upon realizing the disconnection, the glider pilot issued an urgent 'stop stop stop' command via radio. In response, the tug pilot simultaneously closed the throttle and applied the brakes. The sudden deceleration caused the aircraft to pitch forward onto its nose, resulting in the propeller striking the ground. There were no injuries to the pilot, though the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller and other general damage.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report form provided by the pilot. The inquiry focused on the sequence of events leading to the sudden braking maneuver and the mechanical state of the aircraft during the takeoff roll. The investigation established that the glider had disconnected from the tow rope prior to the commencement of the full takeoff run.