DANSVILLE, NY, USA
N7653
SCHWEIZER SGS-1-34
THE PLT STATED THAT AS HE WAS ADJUSTING HIS SEAT BELT WITH THE CANOPY OPEN, THE GLIDER BEGAN BEING PULLED BY THE TOW PILOTS ACFT. HE MANEUVERED THE WING TIP CLEAR OF SOME PARKED ACFT, GRABBED THE CANOPY HATCH, AND HELD IT SHUT DURING THE TKOF. THE COCKPIT CHECK HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED AND THE DIVE BRAKES WERE UNLOCKED AND INADVERTENTLY LEFT OPEN DURING THE TKOF. WITH THE GLIDER IN THIS CONFIGURATION, IT WOULD NOT CLIMB SO THE TOW PLT CIRCLED THE FLD AND GAVE A MANDATORY WAVE OFF SIGNAL WHILE AT ABT 400 FT. THE GLIDER PLT TURNED 180 DEGREES IN AN EFFORT TO LND DOWNWIND BUT ENTERED A STALL. DURING THE RECOVERY THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE GLIDER PLT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE BECOMING AIRBORNE. HE HAD OVER 51 HOURS LOGGED IN GLIDERS OF WHICH 6 WERE IN THE LAST 90 DAYS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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