LS4 hits a hay bale outlanding after its nose hook releases on tow

The pilot was unhurt but the LS4 was substantially damaged when it struck a hay bale on an outlanding. Shortly after the tow crossed the river, he ran a check of his own — gear lock, flight parameters, parachute — and at that moment saw the rope had come out of the nose hook. He could not rule out having worked the release himself, and no fault was found in the mechanism. At 113 m AGL he committed to a field ahead. About 90 cm up and at 86 km/h the left wing caught a bale, breaking at the airbrake and swinging the glider sideways.

1. Aerotow off runway 04: The pilot took an aerotow in the LS4, having checked the release and run a pull test before departure.
2. Cockpit check on tow: Shortly after the tow crossed the river he ran a check of his own: gear lock, flight parameters and the parachute seated.
3. Rope out of the nose hook: At that moment he saw the tow rope had come out of the nose hook. He could not rule out having worked the release during the check.
4. Field ahead chosen at 113 m: He decided at about 113 m AGL to land in a field lying ahead of him.
5. Left wing catches a hay bale: About 90 cm above the ground and at some 86 km/h, the left wing struck a hay bale lying in the field and broke at the airbrake.
6. Swings sideways and stops: The one-sided drag swung the glider about 90 degrees, it touched down sideways, the tail boom broke ahead of the fin and it stopped some 57 m on.