What happened
On May 22, 2023, at approximately 10:56 UTC, a Schempp-Hirth Discus-2c glider was performing a winch launch at Innsbruck Airport (LOWI). The aircraft was being operated by a local club for a planned local flight.
During the takeoff roll, the pilot noted that the acceleration phase lasted longer than usual. As the aircraft began its initial climb, the winch operator—who was undergoing training under the supervision of a signalman—reduced the cable speed. This reduction in tension caused the cable's parachute to deploy, leading to the accidental release of the tow cable at an altitude of approximately 10 meters above the ground.
Unaware that the connection had been severed, the pilot initially waited for the expected tension. When the pull failed to materialize, the pilot promptly lowered the nose of the aircraft. Despite radio instructions from an observer on the ground urging the pilot to maintain altitude, the glider entered a steep descent and struck the ground with high vertical velocity, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot and substantial damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The Austrian Federal Safety Investigation Board (SUB) reconstructed the sequence of events using statements from the pilot, the winch signalman, the trainee winch operator, and eyewitnesses. The investigation also reviewed data from the local police and examined the technical aspects of the winch operation, including the training status of the personnel involved and the mechanical state of the release mechanism.