ASW 27 strikes two ground crew repositioning it as the aerotow launch proceeds

During an aerotow launch at a competition at Hausen am Albis, a ground crew member was seriously injured when the glider's wings swept into two people in front of it; the ASW 27 and both pilots were unhurt. As the towrope drew taut, a jerk rolled the un-braked glider forward over the slack rope and the tug stopped. Believing it had halted so the overrun rope could be freed, the two crew stepped in front of the wings to push the glider back. The coordinator could not see the overrun and radioed a stop too late; the tug pilot did not hear it and, the runway now clear, opened the throttle. The briefed procedure had no abort command.

1. Aerotow launch at a competition: At a regional gliding competition, an ASW 27 was lined up for an aerotow launch behind a Maule tug.
2. Un-braked glider overruns slack rope: Its airbrakes were retracted, leaving the wheel un-braked; a jerk as the rope drew taut rolled the glider forward over the slack towrope.
3. Crew step in front of the wings: Assuming the tug had stopped to free the overrun rope, the two ground crew moved in front of the wings to push the glider back.
4. Stop call unheard, tug opens up: The coordinator's radioed stop was not heard; with the runway now clear, the tug pilot opened the throttle.
5. Wings strike two ground crew: The accelerating glider's wings knocked both crew down; one struck his head on the paving and was seriously injured.