WOODBINE, MD, USA
N53899
BELLANCA 8GCBC
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT NOSE OVER INTO A DIVE AFTER THE GLIDER IT HAD BEEN TOWING RELEASED. THEY THEN SAW IT ROLL AND DURING THE ROLL THE LEFT WING DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE CFI IN THE GLIDER HAD OBSERVED THE PILOT OF N53899 PERFORM WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SNAP ROLL ON THE FLIGHT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT SEE THE AIRCRAFT AFTER HE RELEASED FROM N53899, BOTH HE AND HIS STUDENT HEARD ENGINE NOISES SIMILIAR TO THE NOISES THEY HAD HEARD ON THE PRIOR FLIGHT WHEN THEY OBSERVED THE ROLL MANEUVER. REPEATED DETAILED EXAMINATIONS OF THE SEPARATED WING DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-EXISTING FAILURE AREAS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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