Narrative:

I was performing duties of flight instructor on a part 91 business flight from buffalo; ny (buf); to marlette; mi (77G). We were flying a small aircraft. 77G is typically used as our fuel stop on flts from the minneapolis area to the east coast and the same on the return trip. 77G is served by two runways that intersect. The winds at 77G were light out of the north. On arrival; we elected to land on runway 9 since it was the longer of the two runways available. We cancelled IFR approximately 14 miles from 77G and switched to CTAF. We taxied to the self service pumps after a routine landing on runway 9. While I was filling the aircraft; we observed a glider takeoff on runway 1 using some type of cable/ winch system operated by a large engine at the departure end of runway 1. A local pilot said it was common to see gliders launched using the cable at 77G. 'That's a heavy duty cable;' according to the pilot. After a glider was launched; the cable would parachute to the ground and ground personnel would drive a golf cart down the runway to pick it up and bring it back to the approach end of the runway for another glider tow. After our refueling; we announced we were taxiing to runway 27 for departure on the CTAF. Runway 27 was required because the length of runway 1 was inadequate for our takeoff weight. Another aircraft; a piper arrow; announced he was taxiing on runway 1 for departure. We also noted the golf cart was traveling along the edge of runway 1 apparently carrying the cable back to the approach end of runway 1. We announced on CTAF for the golf cart to hold short of runway 27 for our up-coming departure. We announced we would hold in position until the arrow departed. The intersection of runway 27 and runway 1 was actually invisible due to the slope of the runway. We were able to see the arrow depart; but we didn't see the golf cart cross the runway. He did. And he strung the cable across the runway; too. On our takeoff roll; I announced to the PF the golf cart is gone; he crossed. We were too late to abort our takeoff. As we neared the intersection; I did see the heavy duty cable laying on the runway. We struck the cable with the nose and both mains while traveling approximately 85 to 90 KIAS. Thankfully there wasn't enough tension on the wire; it was laying flat on the ground. We did manage to depart without blowing any tires or damage. But it could have been ugly. The AFD does mention glider operations at the airport; nothing about the cable. As airport manager at ZZZ; there is no way I would allow a situation like this occur at my airport. Every time they fly gliders at 77G; they are setting themselves up for disaster. 77G is no longer worth the risk for me. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the CTAF indicated that there was a piper arrow in the pattern. The golf cart; assuming he was monitoring CTAF; may have confused the aircraft positions and intentions. The decision to use this airport is based on the desire to give business to smaller operators; but the hazards of glider operations here will put it off the list of refueling airports. It is noted that this was a weekend occurrence whereas previous visits were during the week with no noted problems.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SMALL ACFT STRIKES A CABLE USED FOR GLIDER LAUNCH AT 77G OFF OF RWY 1 WHEN DEPARTING OFF RWY 27.

Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING DUTIES OF FLT INSTRUCTOR ON A PART 91 BUSINESS FLT FROM BUFFALO; NY (BUF); TO MARLETTE; MI (77G). WE WERE FLYING A SMALL ACFT. 77G IS TYPICALLY USED AS OUR FUEL STOP ON FLTS FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS AREA TO THE EAST COAST AND THE SAME ON THE RETURN TRIP. 77G IS SERVED BY TWO RWYS THAT INTERSECT. THE WINDS AT 77G WERE LIGHT OUT OF THE N. ON ARR; WE ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 9 SINCE IT WAS THE LONGER OF THE TWO RWYS AVAILABLE. WE CANCELLED IFR APPROX 14 MILES FROM 77G AND SWITCHED TO CTAF. WE TAXIED TO THE SELF SERVICE PUMPS AFTER A ROUTINE LNDG ON RWY 9. WHILE I WAS FILLING THE ACFT; WE OBSERVED A GLIDER TKOF ON RWY 1 USING SOME TYPE OF CABLE/ WINCH SYSTEM OPERATED BY A LARGE ENG AT THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 1. A LOCAL PLT SAID IT WAS COMMON TO SEE GLIDERS LAUNCHED USING THE CABLE AT 77G. 'THAT'S A HEAVY DUTY CABLE;' ACCORDING TO THE PLT. AFTER A GLIDER WAS LAUNCHED; THE CABLE WOULD PARACHUTE TO THE GROUND AND GROUND PERSONNEL WOULD DRIVE A GOLF CART DOWN THE RWY TO PICK IT UP AND BRING IT BACK TO THE APCH END OF THE RWY FOR ANOTHER GLIDER TOW. AFTER OUR REFUELING; WE ANNOUNCED WE WERE TAXIING TO RWY 27 FOR DEP ON THE CTAF. RWY 27 WAS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE LENGTH OF RWY 1 WAS INADEQUATE FOR OUR TKOF WEIGHT. ANOTHER ACFT; A PIPER ARROW; ANNOUNCED HE WAS TAXIING ON RWY 1 FOR DEP. WE ALSO NOTED THE GOLF CART WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE EDGE OF RWY 1 APPARENTLY CARRYING THE CABLE BACK TO THE APCH END OF RWY 1. WE ANNOUNCED ON CTAF FOR THE GOLF CART TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27 FOR OUR UP-COMING DEP. WE ANNOUNCED WE WOULD HOLD IN POSITION UNTIL THE ARROW DEPARTED. THE INTERSECTION OF RWY 27 AND RWY 1 WAS ACTUALLY INVISIBLE DUE TO THE SLOPE OF THE RWY. WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE ARROW DEPART; BUT WE DIDN'T SEE THE GOLF CART CROSS THE RWY. HE DID. AND HE STRUNG THE CABLE ACROSS THE RWY; TOO. ON OUR TKOF ROLL; I ANNOUNCED TO THE PF THE GOLF CART IS GONE; HE CROSSED. WE WERE TOO LATE TO ABORT OUR TKOF. AS WE NEARED THE INTXN; I DID SEE THE HEAVY DUTY CABLE LAYING ON THE RWY. WE STRUCK THE CABLE WITH THE NOSE AND BOTH MAINS WHILE TRAVELING APPROX 85 TO 90 KIAS. THANKFULLY THERE WASN'T ENOUGH TENSION ON THE WIRE; IT WAS LAYING FLAT ON THE GND. WE DID MANAGE TO DEPART WITHOUT BLOWING ANY TIRES OR DAMAGE. BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN UGLY. THE AFD DOES MENTION GLIDER OPS AT THE ARPT; NOTHING ABOUT THE CABLE. AS ARPT MANAGER AT ZZZ; THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD ALLOW A SIT LIKE THIS OCCUR AT MY ARPT. EVERY TIME THEY FLY GLIDERS AT 77G; THEY ARE SETTING THEMSELVES UP FOR DISASTER. 77G IS NO LONGER WORTH THE RISK FOR ME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE CTAF INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PIPER ARROW IN THE PATTERN. THE GOLF CART; ASSUMING HE WAS MONITORING CTAF; MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE ACFT POSITIONS AND INTENTIONS. THE DECISION TO USE THIS ARPT IS BASED ON THE DESIRE TO GIVE BUSINESS TO SMALLER OPERATORS; BUT THE HAZARDS OF GLIDER OPS HERE WILL PUT IT OFF THE LIST OF REFUELING ARPTS. IT IS NOTED THAT THIS WAS A WEEKEND OCCURRENCE WHEREAS PREVIOUS VISITS WERE DURING THE WEEK WITH NO NOTED PROBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.