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

On a local flight from Issoire Le Broc, the pilot was injured and the glider substantially damaged in a hard landing after the elevator control, left unsecured when the glider was reassembled, came apart in 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 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.