Loose camera jams the elevator on an aerotow launch
On a trial lesson, a two-seat glider stalled and crashed on an aerotow launch, seriously injuring the student and slightly injuring the instructor. The student had placed a camera on the cockpit floor; during the take-off run it slid back and jammed between the floor and the front control column, held fully aft for the launch. Unable to push the column forward, the instructor could only watch the glider pitch up steeply; after the tow was released it stalled twice, dropping a wing each time, then struck the ground and was destroyed. The instructor had not known a camera was aboard, nor briefed the student about loose articles.
- Aerotow launch, trial lesson: On a trial lesson, a two-seat glider began an aerotow launch, the control column held fully aft as usual for the type.
- Camera loose on the cockpit floor: The student had placed a camera on the cockpit floor in front of the control column, between the feet.
- Camera slides back and jams column: During the bumpy take-off run the camera slid rearward and jammed between the floor edge and the front control column.
- Elevator stuck; glider pitches up: The instructor could not move the column forward; the glider pitched up steeply above the tug.
- Tow released: Both the tug and the glider released the tow rope as the glider climbed out of position.
- Stalls and wing drops, twice: The glider stalled, dropped its left wing, briefly recovered, then stalled again.
- Strikes the ground, destroyed: It struck the ground nose- and left-wing-first and was destroyed; the student was seriously injured, the instructor slightly.