What happened
On July 20, 2013, a pilot was conducting a series of winch launches at the Wr. Neustadt West (LOXN) military airfield. The pilot was operating a Glasflügel Kestrel glider. During the climb phase of the fourth launch, as the pilot increased the angle of attack to ascend, the tow rope became disconnected from the aircraft. This disconnection caused the parachute at the end of the winch cable to deploy.
As the aircraft approached the ground, the pilot attempted an abort maneuver by initiating a leveling arc. However, the glider descended in a vertical nose-down attitude, striking the ground with a loud impact centered on the main landing gear. During the touchdown, both wings made contact with the terrain simultaneously. The aircraft slid approximately 20 meters before coming to a complete stop.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events during the winch launch and the mechanical failure of the tow connection. The SUB established that the loss of tension or connection occurred specifically during the transition to a higher angle of attack, which subsequently triggered the deployment of the retrieval parachute.