ASK 13 lands hard in a low-height cable-break drill
An instructor and a student pilot were both seriously injured when their ASK 13 landed hard during a cable-break drill at Aukrug; the glider was substantially damaged. On a winch launch, the instructor released the cable himself at about 55 m for an unannounced launch-failure drill, expecting the 15-year-old student to land straight ahead. The student froze and did not react; the instructor took over but pushed the nose down and rounded out too late, and the glider touched down hard and slid into bushes and a fence. No technical fault was found.
- Ab-initio winch training drill: An instructor and a 15-year-old ab-initio student were flying winch launches; the instructor planned an unannounced launch-failure drill with a straight-ahead landing.
- Instructor releases cable at ~55 m: Once a stable climb was established, the instructor released the winch cable himself at about 55 m above the ground to simulate a launch failure.
- Student freezes, no reaction: Startled, the student froze and did not react; by his account he could not follow the call to open the airbrakes.
- Late takeover and round-out: The instructor took over, pushed the nose down and began a round-out near the ground, but too late to arrest a high sink rate.
- Hard landing; both injured: The glider touched down hard, slid about 40 m and struck bushes and a fence; both occupants suffered spinal fractures and the glider was substantially damaged. No technical fault was found.