<< >> NASA ASRS Report 446721, August 1999

An unauthorized tie strap accidentally released the glider tow line on takeoff resulting in an off airport landing near runway 35R.

Attributes
ACN	446721
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 35r.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	446721
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Glider released at approximately 100 ft AGL after being towed for a local pleasure flight. Glider continued straight ahead and landed in field approximately 1000 ft from end of runway. Tow plane landed normally without further incident. Glider was not damaged, and there were no injuries. Release was checked in the traditional manner prior to launch and found to be operational. Latter investigation showed that a tie strap, installed immediately before the flight, was causing a pre-tension to be applied to the release cable when the canopy of the glider was closed. Release check was done with canopy open. No pre-tension was observed when canopy was open. Tie strap had been installed by owner/pilot to prevent instrument tubing from hanging down and interfering with rudder operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN UNAUTH TIE STRAP ACCIDENTALLY RELEASED THE GLIDER TOW LINE ON TKOF RESULTING IN AN OFF ARPT LNDG NEAR RWY 35R.

Narrative: GLIDER RELEASED AT APPROX 100 FT AGL AFTER BEING TOWED FOR A LCL PLEASURE FLT. GLIDER CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND LANDED IN FIELD APPROX 1000 FT FROM END OF RWY. TOW PLANE LANDED NORMALLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. GLIDER WAS NOT DAMAGED, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. RELEASE WAS CHKED IN THE TRADITIONAL MANNER PRIOR TO LAUNCH AND FOUND TO BE OPERATIONAL. LATTER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT A TIE STRAP, INSTALLED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE FLT, WAS CAUSING A PRE-TENSION TO BE APPLIED TO THE RELEASE CABLE WHEN THE CANOPY OF THE GLIDER WAS CLOSED. RELEASE CHK WAS DONE WITH CANOPY OPEN. NO PRE-TENSION WAS OBSERVED WHEN CANOPY WAS OPEN. TIE STRAP HAD BEEN INSTALLED BY OWNER/PLT TO PREVENT INST TUBING FROM HANGING DOWN AND INTERFERING WITH RUDDER OP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.