View Single Post
  #16  
Old May 11th 20, 02:10 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Ian Lane
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5
Default Fatal Towplane Accident 5-9-20


Terribly sad when this sort of accident happens.

As one who has experienced an upset in a Pawnee, albeit at about 1500', I
can confirm how frighteningly quickly it happens. On that occasion I was
able to dump the glider (an ASH25) and recover safely. The glider pilot
admitted afterwards that he had been re-tuning his radio whilst on tow, and
had lost sight of me!!!

The release mechanism on our Pawnee, and on others I've flown in the UK,
is a cable and pulley system whereby the said cable runs vertically from
the the cockpit roof to just above the throttle lever and is really easy to
grab in an emergency - no fumbling for a knob or lever.

A study of towplane upsets was done quite a few years ago , following a
series of accidents in the UK. Certain factors were found to increase the
risks:

High wing glider

Towing on the belly hook

Inexperienced glider pilot, and particularly those that usually flew from a
winch-only site

Schweizer hook on towplane

Turbulent conditions

...and often a combination of most, or all, of these - a case of the holes
in the Swiss cheese lining up.













At 12:27 11 May 2020, wrote:

In my opinion, it should be required for the towpilot to be able to

keep
=
his hand on the release for the first 500ft. In Pawnees, this can be

done,
=
with wrist also lying on the throttle to ensure it stays full forward.

This is assuming that all Pawnees have a handle NOT down on the floor but
(=
as I insisted at one time) up where the pilot can grab it while in the
upri=
ght and seated position. I know that many have been modified, I've been
co=
ntacted by many tow pilots who told me it took some persuading but

finally
=
their club/commercial operation saw the light. I will also tell you that
k=
iting incidents are not all slowly evolving types where the glider pilot
ha=
s simply inserted their head up their ass for a few moments. Some are
sudde=
n and quite violent. In my last kiting experience even if I had my hand
on=
the handle (which was down on the floor and difficult to reach) I would
ha=
ve been nose down more than 60 degrees and pointed at the ground before I
c=
ould have reacted. At a low enough altitude this will be fatal the vast
ma=
jority of the time. =20

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot