Glider Crash, Southwest Ohio, One Dead, 8/30/24

Edited ... I found a different article that does say the pilot perished in the crash ...


Interesting tidbit: "Vice President John Lubon of the Caesar Creek Soaring Club told 2 NEWS that the glider was being towed in the air by a small plane but was released from the tow at a low altitude for an unknown reason."
 
I'd have to see the area where the crash happened, but I am pretty surprised that a glider pilot (even if released at a much lower than planned altitude) managed to get into a fatal crash.
 
AV8R_87 said:
I'd have to see the area where the crash happened, but I am pretty surprised that a glider pilot (even if released at a much lower than planned altitude) managed to get into a fatal crash.
Click to expand...

Appears to be a lot of field available. Sad to see such things ...



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My 1st speculation is a control problem. Looks like it happened quite early in the tow. Not sure how the controls on hook up on the ASH26. it is new enough design that it probably has automatic hook ups now common in modern gliders, but older gliders like mine it was possible to forget or not properly hook up the ailerons or elevator when assembling the glider. Even with Automatic hookups it can still happen and why most of us do a positive control check (have someone hold th eControl in various positions and load the control circuit to check for any connection issues) after assemblying the glider. Could also be something as simple as something jamming the controls like falling behind or in front of the stick. I know of one glider that had some excess glue from manufacture break off in the wing and interfere with the Ailerons.

There have been. Several accidents with the model I fly (LS6b) where the Aileron controls didn’t get properly connected. A friend of mine crashed his glider but limped away from it when he forgot to connect the elevator. Glider didn’t fair so well but was repaired.

May not be what happened but until we know more, it is still a reminder to all pilots to check the controls before taking off.

Brian
 
Deceased pilot Dieter Schmidt, age 84. Commercial Glider / Private Airplane SEL.
 
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The only unplanned tow release I was involved in was when I was flying the towplane and CFI and student were behind me. We might not even have been above 100’ when the CFI released and landed either on the remaining rwy or an intersecting rwy (I can’t remember). He said the glider started an uncommanded roll. We never could find anything wrong.

Gliders really can land with very little energy, just don’t stall them.
 
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