On Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 9:57:50 AM UTC-4, BobWa43 wrote:
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 7:43:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 6:52:58 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 4:05:38 PM UTC-4, BG wrote:
On Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 7:57:01 AM UTC-7, Paul Agnew wrote:
Very sad to read this tragic news this morning.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2020/0...fatal.html?m=1

Comments (anonymous) on the webpage indicate kiting may have been a significant factor.

Sincere condolences to the family of the tow pilot and to the members of the club.

Paul Agnew
Jupiter, FL

16Y had a device to cut the rope and would not have been effected by the tension on the rope. The snout at the tail is a tube that feeds the rope to electric spool behind the pilots seat after release.

We are looking for the tow rope.

BG

Indeed it was a canopy came open.

This thread, like almost every thread after a tug upset, goes through the same stuff about Schweizer releases and that kind of stuff. That has little to do with preventing the next one.
If the observation is that the canopy came open, and this is true, this accident is instructive in a very important way that we can use to help avoid the next one.
Assuming that the distraction of an open canopy caused loss of position control and crashed the tug, I submit the real cause of the accident is probably a blown checklist whereby the canopy was not locked and confirmed.
We can all honor the lost pilot by dedicating ourselves to using our checklist on every takeoff, and reminding our students and friends to do the same.
With the late start to the season for many,we are all more rusty than usual, good habits need to be reacquired. Checklists are among the most important.
With respect
UH

Agreed, proper use of the checklist may well have interdicted this event. One more thing has to be added and that's what we have all been told, time and time and time again.....FLY THE AIRPLANE, THE GLIDER, THE HELICOPTER. Whatever it is we are flying. Flying the glider in this situation means keeping your eyes on the tow plane and maintaining position. Unfortunately this incident happened at an altitude which made recovery by the tow pilot impossible.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot.

Actually,, in this case, flying the airplane means immediately pulling the release.

Actaully "fly the airplane" means retain control as to not get out of position in the first place. The distraction of the canopy opening causes loss of attention on position. There are many cases where immediate release would be worse than holding position, possibly grabbing the canopy, and flying to a height where release is a safer option.
I teach my students that the glider flies just fine with the canopy open and not letting it cause more problems is number one.
One recent accident in the northeast involved the canopy coming open, tow gyrations, followed by release with plenty of height to safely return to the airport. He got that part right.The pilot was so distracted by trying to keep the canopy closed that he did not notice that the air brakes had popped open. He retained that condition all the way to impacting the ground a few hundred feet from the airport. Glider totalled, pilot minor injuries.
UH