Date:	Saturday 2 April 2016
Time:	16:55
Type:	Schleicher ASK 21
Owner/operator:	South Downs Gliding Club
Registration:
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Storrington, West Sussex -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
During take-off and after releasing the tow rope, the spoilers extended. The glider went into a spin and hit the ground. As reported in "Sailplane and Gliding" October/November 2016 p,64:

"Glider crashed while turning following an aborted aerotow. The pilot struggled to maintain a safe vertical position during the take-off, the airbrakes came open and the pilot shut them before releasing the rope at an estimated 100ft agl. Judging this to be too high to land ahead, the pilot started a turn during which the wingtip caught on the ground. The ensuing ground-loop snapped the fuselage aft of the wing. The pilot had done his training using the winch at a different club; the safety officer’s report suggests more emphasis on dealing with low aerotow launch failures for pilots new to the club".

The pilot (aged 35) was the sole person on board, and was uninjured. As at the time of the incident, he had accumulated a total of 5 flying hours as pilot in command.

1. SAILPLANE & GLIDING Oct/Nov 2016 p,64: https://www.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/Oct-Nov-2016.pdf
2. BFU16-0391-DX

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
04-May-2024 11:27	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Total occupants, Location, Source, Narrative, ]