Misrigging leads to fatal SZD-30 crash at Locarno Aeroporto during aerotow launch

On August 3, 1976, a glider pilot took off from Locarno airfield while being towed by a Piper PA-18-150. After an unusually long takeoff roll, the glider abruptly lifted to about 3 meters before crashing back to the ground, then climbed again but ultimately entered a steep dive and crashed. The pilot sustained severe injuries and died shortly after reaching the hospital. The probable cause was identified as the failure to secure the elevator connection, with a possible contributing factor being the pilot's acute health issue that may have impaired his ability to release the tow cable in time. Significant findings included the need for better safety checks on control connections and the importance of thorough pre-flight inspections, especially for new equipment modifications.