Stray aerotow rope drags a Bocian to the ground on winch launch

A student pilot was seriously injured when a stray aerotow rope snagged the Bocian's landing gear on a winch launch and dragged the glider to the ground; the glider was destroyed. In mixed winch and aerotow operations, a Wilga tug had landed opposite the launch direction with its rope still attached and taxied across the laid-out winch cable, leaving the rope over the cable unnoticed. On the next winch launch that rope was drawn up with the cable; it caught the climbing Bocian's landing gear, knotted tight, and pulled the glider from its climb into a steep descent that struck the ground at about 45 degrees. No technical defect was found.

1. Winch training launch: A student pilot began a solo winch launch in a two-seat Bocian at Rudolstadt, on a training flight.
2. Tug rope left across the cable: In mixed ops a Wilga tug had landed the wrong way with its rope attached and taxied across the winch path, leaving the rope over the laid-out cable unnoticed.
3. Rope drawn up on launch: On the winch launch the tug's rope was drawn up with the cable and snagged the climbing Bocian's landing gear.
4. Glider dragged down: The rope knotted tight and pulled the glider from its climb into a steep descent.
5. Struck the ground at 45°: The Bocian struck the ground at about 45° and was destroyed; the student pilot was seriously injured. No technical defect was found.