At 03:45 30 September 2018, Mike C wrote:
On Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 7:31:20 PM UTC-6, Bojack J4 wrote:
A foreign object blocking/jamming a control as a cause in ALL these
accidents seems highly unlikely to me.

Count the number of lamination's in the tail boom, on these long wing
sailplanes, against the factory's layup schedule. Check Renny's V3 as
well.


Something seems amiss.

Mike

Mention of foreign objects, I had one a few months ago. During annual
inspection a hard plastic square tube end bung was found in the wheel box
area of my Discus bT. No one had any idea where it was from, until it was
identified as coming from my one man rigger. It must have entered through
the fuselage side, where the wings attach, during rigging or de-rigging.
It was totally out of sight during normal pre-flight inspection, and I had
not noticed it missing from the OMR.
Even if it had been seen to be missing, the last place it would be expected
to be was inside the glider, rather than lost in the grass somewhere. I
informed the manufacturer, and mine are now glued in, no longer relying on
the tight fit.
I have no idea how long it had been there, or whether it could have jammed
anything if it got in the wrong place, they are certainly rigid enough.
Dave