NEW DOUGLAS, IL, USA
N153SS
Burkhart Grob G-103 TWIN ASTIR
THE DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL GLIDER FLIGHT WAS BEING WINCH LAUNCHED. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THERE WAS AN APPARENT CABLE BREAK, WHEN THE GLIDER WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET AGL. THE STUDENT PILOT INITIALLY LOWERED THE NOSE, THEN RETURNED TO A CLIMB ATTITUDE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE GLIDER, AND INITIATED A LANDING. THE LANDING WAS HARD AND THE GLIDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE DOUBLE RING ON THE GLIDER TOW ATTACHMENT POINT WAS FOUND SEPARATED.
On September 4, 1993, at 1130 central daylight time, a Grob G-103, N153SS, sustained substantial damage in a hard landing following a cable break during a winch launch at the Silvercreek Gliderport, New Douglas, Illinois. Neither the certified flight instructor, nor the student pilot were injured. No flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The instructor reported the student was at the controls for the launch. He stated there was an apparent "cable break" about 20 feet AGL. Initially, the student lowered the nose, then tried to re-establish the climb angle. The instructor stated he took the controls at this point and moved the stick forward. He reported the glider struck the ground with the nose down. The instructor stated the double ring on the glider attachment point separated from the glider.
FAILURE OF THE GLIDER TOW ATTACHMENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY THE STUDENT, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION..
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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