An excellent discussion following a tragic event.

As a part time tow pilot, I've seen uncountable practice rope breaks, all of
which ended successfully. I also had one of our CFIs in his own Libelle
have an actual rope break at about 250 ft on departure; surprised us both!
....But he bade a textbook turn back and landing. I saw about 10 feet of
rope dangling from his nose but decided not to distract him by letting him
know. Instead, when I landed, I thanked him for bringing back the Tost
ring. My only other actual rope break was at about 2,500' AGL due to an
incredibly ham fisted retired commercial pilot. He also brought back about
25 feet of rope wrapped over the right wing of the G-103. That was also a
no-op.

On my commercial glider check ride some 25 years ago, there was a 25 kt wind
directly down the runway and the FAA examiner pulled the release at 200 feet
while we were flying straight out. I made a successful turn back in the
twin Lark (unlandable ahead) and landed about mid field, continued off the
end of the runway, used up all the grass in the field at the end, put a wing
on the ground, full rudder, and ground looped just short of the barbed wire.
He just said, "Nice job." I thought it was an unsafe maneuver ..