History of the Flight
The flight, involving an instructor and a student, was planned from Husbands Bosworth Airfield in Leicestershire. The glider was towed to 3,000 feet and released normally. Although no pre-flight briefing was overheard, spinning training was likely the primary aim. Witnesses observed the glider enter a spin from around 1,500 feet above ground level, continuing in a steeply nose-down attitude with no significant change in flight path until impact.
Witness Accounts
Multiple witnesses reported seeing the glider in various phases. Two pilots in a Rotax Falke aircraft saw the glider enter a left spin from a nose-high attitude, recover after about one and a half turns, then enter a second spin from a normal gliding attitude and recover. The glider was later seen in a normal gliding attitude before descending from view. A glider pilot about two kilometers northwest of the airfield first noticed the accident glider in a left turn at very low level, estimated below 100 feet. He watched it clear a hedge, then the left wing struck the ground followed by the nose. A third group of witnesses on the ground saw the glider pitch up steeply and enter a left spin, completing about five turns before disappearing behind a ridge. One witness thought the rotation rate might have accelerated slightly.
Aircraft Examination
The glider was destroyed in the impact. The fuselage ahead of the wing leading edge, including the cockpit, suffered extensive disruption. The left airbrake was found deployed, while the right was retracted. Examination of the control systems found no pre-impact disconnect. The possibility of a control jam due to a loose item, such as a ballpoint pen reported on an earlier flight, was considered but no trace was found. The rudder pedal in the front cockpit had broken off in a forward direction, suggesting possible application of right rudder at impact.
Investigation Outcome
The AAIB investigation considered several likely explanations but found no conclusive evidence. It could not dismiss the possibility of pilot incapacitation or a control restriction or malfunction. Four Safety Recommendations were made as a result.