ASW 20 F crashes after elevator ball joint disconnects on takeoff

A Centrair ASW 20 F crashed at Bailleau-Armenonville during a national competition; the pilot was seriously injured. The glider had been re-rigged that morning with help from a person unfamiliar with the type; the elevator L'Hotellier ball joint was most likely connected without its safety pin. After takeoff the glider bounced repeatedly, pitched up >30° at end of runway, and climbed to ~35 m; the pilot released and the glider nose-dived ~70 m from threshold 18. Investigators cited a disconnected elevator ball joint that explained the loss of pitch control, with abnormal joint wear remaining an alternative.

1. Aerotow takeoff at competition: The pilot was competing in the French national championships in an ASW 20 F he had owned since 2021, aware the type carried elevator-misrigging risk, taking off by aerotow in calm weather.
2. Re-rigged morning of accident: The pilot had outlanded the previous day (2 June) and derigged the glider. On the accident morning (3 June) the glider was re-rigged with help from another person.
3. Helper unfamiliar with the type: The helper who re-rigged the glider did not know this type; organisers had repeatedly reminded pilots to check the control assembly, the only glider here with manual elevator connection.
4. L'Hotellier joint, no safety pin: The elevator uses an L'Hotellier ball joint with an optional safety pin, never used by the pilot; his rigging check was visual only and does not reliably confirm the joint is engaged.
5. Abnormal joint wear beyond tolerances: The ball joint had worn about 0.3 mm out of tolerance, three times the maintenance limit and missed at the last inspection, after 30-plus years in service past its replacement interval.
6. Elevator joint disconnected at takeoff: The glider bounced repeatedly on takeoff, then pitched up suddenly to over 30°; the pilot pushed forward but the elevator did not respond, and it climbed to about 35 m above the tug.
7. Tow release at ~35 m: The pilot released the aerotow cable at about 35 m; witnesses saw the glider descend as the pilot set the flaps negative to reduce pitch, then positive just before impact.
8. Uncontrolled nose-down, crash, destroyed: The glider struck the ground violently; the cockpit was damaged and the elevator ball joint was found disconnected. The pilot was seriously injured; the tug landed safely.