SZD-51 lands hard after its elevator control disconnects in flight

The pilot was injured and the glider substantially damaged in a hard landing after the elevator control came apart in flight, having been left unsecured when the glider was reassembled. On a local flight, unable to climb after release, the pilot turned back but felt growing difficulty holding the pitch attitude. On the approach the elevator gave no response, and despite a firm pull to flare the nose would not come up; the glider struck the runway hard, nose-down. The connection was of an uncommon type; untrained on it, the pilot could not have detected the fault in a normal pre-flight check, which cannot reveal an unsecured connection.

1. Local flight, no lift: After an aerotow for a local flight, the pilot could not climb after release and turned back to the airfield.
2. Elevator left unsecured at rigging: During an out-of-routine club reassembly, the elevator control connection — an uncommon type — had not been properly secured, and the supervisor did not verify it.
3. Pitch control fails in flight: In flight the elevator control came apart; the pilot felt growing difficulty holding the pitch attitude.
4. Could not flare: On the approach the elevator gave no response, and a firm pull to flare had no effect.
5. Hard nose-down landing: The glider struck the runway hard, nose-down, and came to rest about 300 m past the threshold.
6. Pilot injured, glider damaged: The pilot was injured; the glider was substantially damaged at the lower front fuselage and the tailplane.