Groundloop accident at the Senior Contest

On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 1:51:11 PM UTC-5, John Good wrote:
At around 12:54 today, Thomas Johnson (V12 - MiniNumbus) was injured in a takeoff groundloop accident. He was airlifted to an Orlando hospital, where he'll be met by his wife.


This is what happened to Tom Johnson. V12. One of our club members is Tom’s partner in the Mini-Nimbus. He posted this on our email site as we are all anxious to hear about Tom’s status.

“V12 has a CG hook which is less directionally stable during the initial takeoff. Apparently the left wing dropped to the ground maybe due to propwash from the towplane. The left wingtip on the ground turned the glider about 30 degrees to the East where it departed the runway, crossed the service road and collided with a truck that one of the other contestants had parked next to the runway in violation of contest procedures. The glider submarined the body of the truck.�
Please keep Tom in your prayers a quick recovery, and full recovery.

Ron Branham

On Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 10:36:51 AM UTC-4, Ron Branham wrote:
On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 1:51:11 PM UTC-5, John Good wrote:
At around 12:54 today, Thomas Johnson (V12 - MiniNumbus) was injured in a takeoff groundloop accident. He was airlifted to an Orlando hospital, where he'll be met by his wife.

This is what happened to Tom Johnson. V12. One of our club members is Tom’s partner in the Mini-Nimbus. He posted this on our email site as we are all anxious to hear about Tom’s status.

“V12 has a CG hook which is less directionally stable during the initial takeoff. Apparently the left wing dropped to the ground maybe due to propwash from the towplane. The left wingtip on the ground turned the glider about 30 degrees to the East where it departed the runway, crossed the service road and collided with a truck that one of the other contestants had parked next to the runway in violation of contest procedures. The glider submarined the body of the truck.�
Please keep Tom in your prayers a quick recovery, and full recovery.

Ron Branham

Very unfortunate; does the mini Nim have tail skid or wheel?
The PIK20E has a steerable tailwheel but authority is limited due to the spring coupling.
It has suffered numerous serious ground loops.
On a few occasions I have been unable to stop the swing before stopping; braking will
exacerbate the swing. One has to be very cautious about steering off the runway
as is expected at club sites.
John F

Winching we teach keeping the hand on the release for the entire launch.

With CG hook on aerotow, same applies as tow pilot preservation becomes paramount. I've had to release twice in the air (tow speed too low).

BGA Safe Winch Launching advises releasing before wing contacts the ground if you can't stop the wing drop.

I find rudder works better than ailerons in keeping the wings off the ground in the early ground roll. It depends on your glider. YMMV

I was surprised to read that the launch procedure was compromised at Seminole and resulted in a bad accident.
I wish Tom a full quick and complete recovery.
This is a old problem.

Several years ago at the SSB camp in Salida I was the next to go when a SSB instructor pulled up and left his car, off the runway, but in front of me just where I thought I'd hit it if the the launch went bad. I released the rope and refused to launch until he moved his car.
He threw a tizzy at me but I refused to launch and held up the line, until he moved his car behind the launch point.
Nothing got bent out of shape that day but the SSB Instructor's ego.
We've got to hold the line on safety, soaring is so dangerous already.
Fly safe in 2021
Nick
T

Common procedure for aerotow with a flapped glider involves starting in negative flap to get aileron control authority early, then moving back to zero/+1/whatever.

Can't really have hand on the release handle under those circumstances - but can make a mental note of knowing where it is, and practice dropping the flap handle & grabbing it pre takeoff.

Nick.



On Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 4:14:38 AM UTC+10:30, wrote:
Winching we teach keeping the hand on the release for the entire launch.

With CG hook on aerotow, same applies as tow pilot preservation becomes paramount. I've had to release twice in the air (tow speed too low).

BGA Safe Winch Launching advises releasing before wing contacts the ground if you can't stop the wing drop.

I find rudder works better than ailerons in keeping the wings off the ground in the early ground roll. It depends on your glider. YMMV

I routinely start my ASH26E in negative flap, but there is no need change to positive flaps
until 20-25 knots IAS. So, until then, I keep my hand near (not on) the release. That's if I'm
being towed; if it's a self-launch, I keep my hand behind the spoiler handle.

wrote on 3/17/2021 7:18 PM:
Common procedure for aerotow with a flapped glider involves starting in negative flap to get aileron control authority early, then moving back to zero/+1/whatever.

Can't really have hand on the release handle under those circumstances - but can make a mental note of knowing where it is, and practice dropping the flap handle & grabbing it pre takeoff.

Nick.



On Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 4:14:38 AM UTC+10:30, wrote:
Winching we teach keeping the hand on the release for the entire launch.

With CG hook on aerotow, same applies as tow pilot preservation becomes paramount. I've had to release twice in the air (tow speed too low).

BGA Safe Winch Launching advises releasing before wing contacts the ground if you can't stop the wing drop.

I find rudder works better than ailerons in keeping the wings off the ground in the early ground roll. It depends on your glider. YMMV


--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to email me)
- "A Guide to Self-Launching Sailplane Operation"
https://sites.google.com/site/motorg...ad-the-guide-1

On Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 11:40:41 AM UTC-5, john firth wrote:
On Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 10:36:51 AM UTC-4, Ron Branham wrote:
On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 1:51:11 PM UTC-5, John Good wrote:
At around 12:54 today, Thomas Johnson (V12 - MiniNumbus) was injured in a takeoff groundloop accident. He was airlifted to an Orlando hospital, where he'll be met by his wife.

This is what happened to Tom Johnson. V12. One of our club members is Tom’s partner in the Mini-Nimbus. He posted this on our email site as we are all anxious to hear about Tom’s status.

“V12 has a CG hook which is less directionally stable during the initial takeoff. Apparently the left wing dropped to the ground maybe due to propwash from the towplane. The left wingtip on the ground turned the glider about 30 degrees to the East where it departed the runway, crossed the service road and collided with a truck that one of the other contestants had parked next to the runway in violation of contest procedures. The glider submarined the body of the truck.�
Please keep Tom in your prayers a quick recovery, and full recovery.

Ron Branham
Very unfortunate; does the mini Nim have tail skid or wheel?
The PIK20E has a steerable tailwheel but authority is limited due to the spring coupling.
It has suffered numerous serious ground loops.
On a few occasions I have been unable to stop the swing before stopping; braking will
exacerbate the swing. One has to be very cautious about steering off the runway
as is expected at club sites.
John F


Tom’s Mini nimbus has a tail wheel that is not steerable.

Good for you Nick. Having things or people to the sides and in front of the launching gliders is very bad.

Boggs

Originally Posted by Ron Branham[_2_]

On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 1:51:11 PM UTC-5, John Good wrote:
At around 12:54 today, Thomas Johnson (V12 - MiniNumbus) was injured in a takeoff groundloop accident. He was airlifted to an Orlando hospital, where he'll be met by his wife.


This is what happened to Tom Johnson. V12. One of our club members is Tom’s partner in the Mini-Nimbus. He posted this on our email site as we are all anxious to hear about Tom’s status.

“V12 has a CG hook which is less directionally stable during the initial takeoff. Apparently the left wing dropped to the ground maybe due to propwash from the towplane. The left wingtip on the ground turned the glider about 30 degrees to the East where it departed the runway, crossed the service road and collided with a truck that one of the other contestants had parked next to the runway in violation of contest procedures. The glider submarined the body of the truck.�
Please keep Tom in your prayers a quick recovery, and full recovery.

Ron Branham

Best wishes to Tom for a complete recovery. It should be the responsibility of EVERYONE at an event such as this to look for infractions that could inhibit the safety of the launch. Whether it be something over which one could trip to something that might result in a fatality the contest director, launch crew, flag man/woman/person, tow pilot, VP, manager and airport dog should all be aware of and enforcing the rules. I would imagine that submarining the truck was what resulted in the pilot's injuries. An avoidable situation for sure.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot

On Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 6:43:10 PM UTC-7, Walt Connelly wrote:
'Ron Branham[_2_ Wrote:
;1040218']On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 1:51:11 PM UTC-5, John Good
wrote:-
At around 12:54 today, Thomas Johnson (V12 - MiniNumbus) was injured in
a takeoff groundloop accident. He was airlifted to an Orlando hospital,
where he'll be met by his wife.
-

This is what happened to Tom Johnson. V12. One of our club members is
Tom’s partner in the Mini-Nimbus. He posted this on our email site as
we are all anxious to hear about Tom’s status.

“V12 has a CG hook which is less directionally stable during the
initial takeoff. Apparently the left wing dropped to the ground maybe
due to propwash from the towplane. The left wingtip on the ground
turned the glider about 30 degrees to the East where it departed the
runway, crossed the service road and collided with a truck that one of
the other contestants had parked next to the runway in violation of
contest procedures. The glider submarined the body of the truck.�
Please keep Tom in your prayers a quick recovery, and full recovery.

Ron Branham
Best wishes to Tom for a complete recovery. It should be the
responsibility of EVERYONE at an event such as this to look for
infractions that could inhibit the safety of the launch. Whether it be
something over which one could trip to something that might result in a
fatality the contest director, launch crew, flag man/woman/person, tow
pilot, VP, manager and airport dog should all be aware of and enforcing
the rules. I would imagine that submarining the truck was what resulted
in the pilot's injuries. An avoidable situation for sure.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot




--
Walt Connelly

I worked for many years at a National Laboratory, first in the 70's then in 2000's. The safety culture was a total turn around in that time period. One simple concept was that ANYONE could stop an experiment, process, procedure, etc. for a safety issue. The issue would be investigated and corrected before work could resume w/o repercussions to the person reporting the problem.

Tom