DG-300 climbs into a high tow position on a CG-hook aerotow

Seconds after an aerotow liftoff, a thermal lifted a DG-300 into a high tow position the pilot could not push back down. The tug pilot, feeling his aircraft pitch nose-down, told the glider to descend and released the cable, then recovered normally. Now at about 70 m with the field ahead unreachable, the glider pilot turned back for a spot he thought better; on touchdown the right wing dug in and the glider ground-looped, breaking the fuselage near the fin. The pilot was unhurt. The glider's centre-of-gravity hook gives less pitch stability on tow than a nose hook, and with little time on type the pilot struggled to correct the high position.

1. Aerotow on the CG hook: The DG-300 took off on aerotow from runway 32 with the cable on its centre-of-gravity hook.
2. Thermal lifts glider high: About 10 seconds after liftoff a thermal lifted the glider into a high tow position, which the pilot could not correct.
3. CG hook, low time on type: The CG hook gives less pitch stability on tow than a nose hook, and the pilot had little experience on the type.
4. Tug releases; low turn-back: The tug pilot, pitched nose-down, called the glider down and released the cable; at about 70 m the glider pilot turned back for another field.
5. Wing-down ground loop: On landing the right wing dug in, the glider ground-looped and the fuselage broke near the fin; the pilot was unhurt.