Fatal Towplane Accident 5-9-20

On Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 10:57:01 AM UTC-4, 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

It might be interesting to get the statistics from Oz where low tow
is standard. ( anywhere else with low tow)
John F

On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 2:28:15 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
On Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 10:57:01 AM UTC-4, 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

It might be interesting to get the statistics from Oz where low tow
is standard. ( anywhere else with low tow)
John F

Valley Soaring Club in NY uses low tow.
About 70,000 towns by club and preceding commercial operation with no upsets.
That said, it could happen tomorrow.
I do believe upset is less likely in low tow however.
UH

On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 4:59:11 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 2:28:15 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
On Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 10:57:01 AM UTC-4, 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

It might be interesting to get the statistics from Oz where low tow
is standard. ( anywhere else with low tow)
John F

Valley Soaring Club in NY uses low tow.
About 70,000 towns by club and preceding commercial operation with no upsets.
That said, it could happen tomorrow.
I do believe upset is less likely in low tow however.
UH

How about making the rope longer?

On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 6:39:07 PM UTC-7, wrote:
On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 4:59:11 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 2:28:15 PM UTC-4, john firth wrote:
On Sunday, May 10, 2020 at 10:57:01 AM UTC-4, 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

It might be interesting to get the statistics from Oz where low tow
is standard. ( anywhere else with low tow)
John F

Valley Soaring Club in NY uses low tow.
About 70,000 towns by club and preceding commercial operation with no upsets.
That said, it could happen tomorrow.
I do believe upset is less likely in low tow however.
UH

How about making the rope longer?

I would immediately put an electrical actuator on the release cable. The actuator (either solenoid or linear actuator) would have a pull of 200 lbs or more. The electric actuator could be in parallel with the existing manual lever so that either could release the tow rope. A release switch would be put on the stick, just like helicopters. Ultimately the electric release could be automatically actuated by an attitude sensor.

Tom

Again, condolences to all involved. I would sure like to know some of the details. How old and how experienced was the glider pilot? How long was the tow rope and was it within the regulations regarding breaking strength? Was the tow release on the floor of the tow plane? How high were they when the glider kited?

Boggs

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 12:45:39 PM UTC-5, Waveguru wrote:
Again, condolences to all involved. I would sure like to know some of the details. How old and how experienced was the glider pilot? How long was the tow rope and was it within the regulations regarding breaking strength? Was the tow release on the floor of the tow plane? How high were they when the glider kited?

Boggs

With Sadness and respect, the video shows the towplane on the runway, and the paved surface seems to have threshold markings. If this is so, the towplane came to rest on the departure end and would seem to indicate a very low and early event in the launch.
Scott.

Both the tow pilot and the glider pilot where very experienced. The glider pilot is also an instructor. The scout had a retractable tow rope with a guillotine release. It happened so quickly I doubt the tow pilot had any time to react and recover. This is just my opinion not official statement of course. I wasn’t at Byron that day. We will need to wait for at least the preliminary NTSB reports but we will make sure to cooperate with the NTSB investigator.
This is a tragic loss and we at NCSA are still in shock. Yet this is unfortunately not uncommon. Please keep in mind that these sorts of accidents have additional victim, the glider pilot who have to live with it. We are all human and prone to distraction no matter how experienced and trained we are.. No one knowingly or purposely kite their glider.

Ramy

At 18:05 12 May 2020, Ramy wrote:

This is a tragic loss and we at NCSA are still in shock. Yet this is
unfortunately not uncommon. Please keep in mind that these sorts of
accidents have additional victim, the glider pilot who have to live with
it. We are all human and prone to distraction no matter how
experienced and trained we are. No one knowingly or purposely kite
their glider.

Ramy


Well said that man

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 2:05:55 PM UTC-4, Ramy wrote:
Both the tow pilot and the glider pilot where very experienced. The glider pilot is also an instructor. The scout had a retractable tow rope with a guillotine release. It happened so quickly I doubt the tow pilot had any time to react and recover. This is just my opinion not official statement of course. I wasn’t at Byron that day. We will need to wait for at least the preliminary NTSB reports but we will make sure to cooperate with the NTSB investigator.
This is a tragic loss and we at NCSA are still in shock. Yet this is unfortunately not uncommon. Please keep in mind that these sorts of accidents have additional victim, the glider pilot who have to live with it. We are all human and prone to distraction no matter how experienced and trained we are. No one knowingly or purposely kite their glider.

Ramy

Thanks for the information, your willingness to speak on the incident speaks volumes. Hopefully all those with professional speculation will quell their thoughts and speculations out of respect.

Thank you very much for this information Ramy. One of the hardest things is not knowing what took place. It could happen to any of us if we let our guard down. It only takes a second.

Boggs