1. Premature Termination of Tow
This briefing discusses an accident involving premature termination of the tow. It is not designed to lay blame or point fingers at any one certain person of group.
Before we start let’s talk a little about distraction. The FAA believes that distraction is an important part of flight training and I have to agree. The following picture points to the ultimate distraction.
An Accident

2. The Ultimate in Distraction
The young ex-Air Force Sargent driving the security police car was talking to his sweetie on his cell phone. The airman dropped the phone, leaned over to pick it up and proceeded to perfectly rear end or should I say bottom end a parked F-15. Wonder what his continued cell phone conversation was. Maybe, “honey, you ain’t going to believe this.”
Think about this: A 15 million dollar aircraft destroyed by a $20,000 Chevy over an 8 dollar cell phone making a 25 cent call.
The Ultimate in Distraction

3. Pilot was giving a young person his first aircraft ride.
Blanik L-13 ACCIDENT
PIC was a 52 year old private pilot with approximately 450 hours total time and 4 hours in the L-13.
Pilot was giving a young person his first aircraft ride.
At 1100 feet AGL the tow plane signaled the glider that his spoilers were out.
He released and returned to the airfield.
Landed hard.
Aircraft totaled - no injuries.
The PIC was a 52 year old private pilot with 450 hours of total time and 4 hours in the L-13. His time was a combination of powered and glider time.
He was giving a young lady her first aircraft ride.
At 1100 feet AGL the tow plane, a Piper Pawnee, signaled the glider that his spoilers were out.
The PIC misread the signal and immediately released and turned toward the field.
After arriving at the field the PIC executed a non-standard pattern and landed hard.
No one was injured but the aircraft was totaled.

4. Pilot was in the cockpit checking his controls.
PIC comments
Pilot was in the cockpit checking his controls.
“ wing runner raised the wing.”
tow pilot saw wings level and him moving his rudder.
Takeoff started without him finishing his checklist.
At approximately 1,000 feet tow plane signaled a glider problem.
PIC stated he was running his check list when a wing runner raised his wing as he was checking his controls during the checklist.
The takeoff then started without him finishing his check list as he assumed the tow pilot saw wings level and his rudder moving.
Around 1,000 feet above the ground the tow plane waggled his rudder, indicating the glider had a problem and he should check his spoilers closed.

5. Pilot’s Comments continued
Mistook tow plane signal and released.
At 900 to 1000 ft. AGL he headed directly to the airfield and “did GUMPS check”.
GUMPS?
Feels he “touched the flap handle” to confirm spoilers closed.
At mid-field he was 600 AGL, decided to fly a normal downwind.
The PIC mistook the tow plane signal for the immediate release signal and released.
At 900 to 1000 feet the PIC headed directly to the airfield and in his statement did a “GUMPS” check. Why a GUMPS check? Will talk a little more about that in a minute.
PIC stated he “touched the flap handle” to confirm spoilers closed. An interesting choice of words, obviously he did not move the flap handle or manipulate either the flaps or spoilers during his approach to landing.
At mid field he had 600 feet AGL, probably enough for a pretty normal pattern. Was his sink rate not obvious?

6. Pilot’s Comments continued
He noted he was “losing altitude faster than expected and turned base sooner than planned.”
He “decided to land cross runway.”
He finally picked up on his decent rate then realized he did not have the altitude to complete even an abbreviated base to final and decided to land cross runway.

7. A series of events leading up to the accident.
The Mishap Chain
A series of events leading up to the accident.
One break in the chain could have prevented the accident.
1. Wing runner raised the wing.
Was he properly trained.
Did he give the take-off signal?
Was the PIC using him as an excuse?
Let’s look at the mishap chain. If any one of the links in the chain leading up to the accident had been broken the accident probably would not have happened.
1. Why did the wing runner raise the wing? Was he properly trained? Was raising the wing a signal to begin take off? From the report it appears that the wing runner did not signal a take off to the tow pilot.
2. Who is ultimately responsible for the take off. Certainly the PIC.

8. Radio backup to the signals? Did the towplane signal ready?
The Mishap Chain
2. Tow pilot procedures.
Highly experienced.
In a hurry?
Radio backup to the signals?
Did the towplane signal ready?
From all accounts this was a highly experienced tow pilot flying for a commercial operator.
Was the tow pilot in a hurry. Perhaps. Have you ever seen your own operations get a little out of control because you were hurrying to launch the grid?
Radio did not appear to be used as a back up, and I doubt the glider was monitoring the CTAF and therefore missed the tow pilots take off call if there was one. Does your flight operations require each glider to have a radio?
If the tow plane waggled his rudder on the ground the PIC should have seen it.

9. 3. Pilots decision to continue the takeoff.
The Mishap Chain
3. Pilots decision to continue the takeoff.
PIC has the ultimate control - Release handle.
4. Tow plane airborne signal.
PIC responsible to known the American Standard Soaring Signals.
5. GUMPS check. (How’d he get past G?)
What happened to USTALL?
600 feet above ground level at mid-field.
6. Touchdown.
The glider PIC has the ultimate authority for the safe operation of the glider and he could have discontinued the takeoff in the initial phase by simply pulling the release. Why didn’t he?
It our responsibility to know the American Standard Soaring Signals cold. However, commercial operators report that over 90% of their BFR students pull the release when given the “Glider Problem - Check Spoilers” signal. Have you ever seen this signal given in the air by the tow plane? If not plan on asking the tow plane to demo the signal on your next aerotow.
The PIC stated he did a GUMPS check after he initially released. The GUMPS check stands for Gas, Undercarriage, Mixture, Prop, Seat belts. Certainly the PIC was a victim of negative habit transfer from his powered flying. But how did he get past “G” (gas). Other than suffering from the effects of last nights Mexican dinner, I can’t for the life of me see how the PIC could use the GUMPS check. Did he know the USTALL checklist? He didn’t use it. Did he do a landing check list on or near downwind? Probably not.
The PIC stated he purposely touched down hard with the brakes fully applied prior to touchdown. Had he practiced spot landing and short field procedures? Was he still not using the spoilers?

10. Distraction - Count on them.
Mishap Anatomy
Distraction - Count on them.
Lack of Knowledge - Knowledge is Life Insurance.
Lack of Training - Identify your weak areas and fix.
Lack of Proficiency - Skills have to be recharged.
Preparation is the key. When I am totally prepared my flying is more FUN.
You will be distracted before, during, and after your flight. That’s just life. So learn to deal with distraction. Accept it and deal with it in a thoughtful manner.
The best life insurance you can have is knowledge. Weak knowledge equals a cheap policy. Strong knowledge gives us the best policy money can buy.
You know areas that you are uncomfortable with. Acknowledge them and seek out an instructor to help you become as comfortable as possible with the particular maneuver.
If you don’t use them, you lose them. Get with an instructor at the beginning of the soaring season and freshen up.
Being prepared is always the key to success. I am a selfish flyer. I want to have as much fun as I can for my time and money spent. If my knowledge, training, and proficiency are up to snuff. Then I’ll get more bang for my buck having the time of my life.