Centrair 101A elevator unrigged — crash on takeoff
A Centrair 101A crashed shortly after aerotow takeoff from Hartness State Airport (Springfield, Vermont); the pilot was seriously injured and the fuselage and tail boom substantially damaged. During preflight assembly the pilot, distracted, had not connected the elevator control. He realised the absent pitch control once airborne and released from the towplane; the glider nosed down and impacted the ground. NTSB cited failure to assemble the elevator control before takeoff.
- Preflight assembly: Before the flight, the pilot assembled the Centrair 101A glider in preparation for an aerotow departure from Hartness State Airport.
- Elevator not connected: During assembly the pilot became distracted and failed to connect the elevator control system, leaving the elevator control unavailable for the flight.
- Aerotow takeoff: The glider commenced an aerotow takeoff and became airborne with the elevator control not connected.
- Tow release after issue: Once airborne, the pilot realized there was no elevator control authority and immediately released the glider from the tow airplane.
- Uncontrolled nose-down: After tow release, the glider entered an uncontrolled nose-down attitude due to the lack of elevator control.
- Crash - serious injury: The glider impacted the ground, causing substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom and seriously injuring the pilot.