Incident Olympia 2 VH-GHR, Wednesday 5 January 1972

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Date:	Wednesday 5 January 1972
Time:	13:45
Type:	Olympia 2
Owner/operator:	Barossa Valley Gliding Club
Registration:	VH-GHR
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Location:	Stonefield, SA - Australia
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Stonefield, SA
Destination airport:	Stonefield, SA
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot was converted to the Olympia 2 glider on 4 January 1972, and on that day he made five Rights in VH-GHR. On the third of these flights he experienced a cable break at about 300 feet and landed normally off a modified circuit. On 5 January 1972, he completed one satisfactory flight in VH-GHR. On his next launch in this glider, at approximately 1344 hours central summer time, the cable broke when the aircraft had reached a height of about 30 feet above the ground. The pilot released the cable and pushed the control column forward, then extended the dive brakes as for a normal landing but it is probable that the airspeed was low. Although the pilot attempted to flare the glider for landing it struck the ground heavily in a slightly nose down attitude.

Accident investigation: