ZK-GXZ PW-5 Crash at Drury in 2004

[typerated]

Might be a long shot but this PW-5 span on the winch and crashed - then written off. The pilot was on a early solo and if I remember correctly broke both ankles but was lucky to be alive.

I used to have some dramatic photo's of the crash but they vanished after a PC died - just wondered if anyone still had any photos of the crash?

I almost did the same thing in a PW-5 at Drury the year before (although I think it was in the other one - GXF) - the winch hook was too near the C 0f G and I think was moved on a later AD.

I'm trying to put something together on glider crashes and lessons learned. We used to joke there was more chance dying in the Auckland traffic than in a glider - but NZ has had a pretty ruff toll over the last couple of decades.

i"d probably be interested in any glider crash photos from NZ

Cheers TR

[Dave Homewood]

For someone like me who knows very little about gliding, can you please explain the circumstances that would cause a glider to enter a spin while on the winch tow line please?

[lesterpk]

Narrative:
The pilot was on his second solo flight in the glider and was being winch launched, when shortly after becoming airborne the glider veered to the right of the runway centreline at a very high nose up attitude. Shortly thereafter, the towline back released and the glider immediately entered a spin to the right which was not recovered in the height available. The aircraft struck the ground a short distance from the airfield and the pilot received serious injuries.

The glider got too nose high on the winch so the automatic back release functioned, leaving the glider nose high with little airspeed. Stall, spin, impact.

[Dave Homewood]

Oh wow! Thanks Les.

[typerated]

Oct 26, 2023 3:03:03 GMT 12 lesterpk said:

Narrative:
The pilot was on his second solo flight in the glider and was being winch launched, when shortly after becoming airborne the glider veered to the right of the runway centreline at a very high nose up attitude. Shortly thereafter, the towline back released and the glider immediately entered a spin to the right which was not recovered in the height available. The aircraft struck the ground a short distance from the airfield and the pilot received serious injuries.

The glider got too nose high on the winch so the automatic back release functioned, leaving the glider nose high with little airspeed. Stall, spin, impact.

Not necessarily in that order!

I stalled on the wire - but the cable didn't back release and I recovered and continued with the launch.

That said the PW-5 was favorite for back releasing early .

But the point is you stall because the wing is at too high a AoA. And the PW-5 design made it very easy to over rotate.