A Rough Day Towing

Seems I'm towing more than soaring these days...

A couple of days ago, while rolling out on final at about 300' AGL, a strong
gust under the high wing upset the Pawnee. Fortunately (for me), I carry a
lot of energy around the final turn, and was able to recover and land
normally. I had to take a short break to allow my heart to slow down.

Later that day, an experienced pilot was flying his first flight in an
HP-14. At 2,400' AGL we were indicating 1,100 fpm climb and said, "This is
a nice thermal" on the radio. Seconds later the tow plane was jerked to the
left and I looked over my right shoulder to see the glider at my 4 o'clock
with a large loop of slack in the rope. I yelled, "Get off, get off, get
off!!!" and, to my surprise, the response was the glider banking sharply
into me and diving past my tail. Before I could grab the tow release, there
was another sharp jerk and the rope broke. The glider pilot then enjoyed
about 4 hours in the -14.

Next morning, when I arrived to tow (again...), I was told to go have a look
at the HP-14. There was a deep gash in the leading edge of the left wing
(top and bottom), right at the root, where the rope had sawed through the
skin before being cut by he sharp edge of the aluminum. There was also
damage along the leading edge and to the side of the fuselage.

I've got to become less tolerant of gliders getting out of position...

I'll be towing again this morning but, hopefully, will get my LAK out this
afternoon.

Given the damage to the HP-14, I sure hope someone has taken a good look at the tail of the Pawnee...

-John

On Friday, June 1, 2012 10:28:55 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
Seems I'm towing more than soaring these days...

A couple of days ago, while rolling out on final at about 300' AGL, a strong
gust under the high wing upset the Pawnee. Fortunately (for me), I carry a
lot of energy around the final turn, and was able to recover and land
normally. I had to take a short break to allow my heart to slow down.

Later that day, an experienced pilot was flying his first flight in an
HP-14. At 2,400' AGL we were indicating 1,100 fpm climb and said, "This is
a nice thermal" on the radio. Seconds later the tow plane was jerked to the
left and I looked over my right shoulder to see the glider at my 4 o'clock
with a large loop of slack in the rope. I yelled, "Get off, get off, get
off!!!" and, to my surprise, the response was the glider banking sharply
into me and diving past my tail. Before I could grab the tow release, there
was another sharp jerk and the rope broke. The glider pilot then enjoyed
about 4 hours in the -14.

Next morning, when I arrived to tow (again...), I was told to go have a look
at the HP-14. There was a deep gash in the leading edge of the left wing
(top and bottom), right at the root, where the rope had sawed through the
skin before being cut by he sharp edge of the aluminum. There was also
damage along the leading edge and to the side of the fuselage.

I've got to become less tolerant of gliders getting out of position...

I'll be towing again this morning but, hopefully, will get my LAK out this
afternoon.

On 6/1/2012 8:28 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:

Snip...

Later that day, an experienced pilot was flying his first flight in an HP-14.
At 2,400' AGL we were indicating 1,100 fpm climb and said, "This is a nice
thermal" on the radio. Seconds later the tow plane was jerked to the left and
I looked over my right shoulder to see the glider at my 4 o'clock with a large
loop of slack in the rope. I yelled, "Get off, get off, get off!!!" and, to my
surprise, the response was the glider banking sharply into me and diving past
my tail. Before I could grab the tow release, there was another sharp jerk and
the rope broke. The glider pilot then enjoyed about 4 hours in the -14.

Snip...

Mercy!

Tell me again what that in-glider release is for?

My only self-induced rope break came on a BFR, demonstrating
instructor-induced slack rope recoveries. (Due to lack of practice at slack
rope after obtaining my license, I undoubtedly only got worse at it.) So I
understand the desire to recover an out of position towing situation...just
not at risk of life and limb.

On another BFR the instructor bemused both of us as we watched the rope drift
aft over the top of the G-103's wing until I could barely see the aft end of
the loop from the front cockpit. It was one of the times I almost overrode an
instructor's "My ship." In hindsight, we both agreed I probably should have.
What WERE we thinking?!?

Bob W.

Yes, we checked the Pawnee and it's OK.

The glider's owner (not the pilot involved) told me that this release won't
let go unless it's under tension. I'm not familiar with the design and
wonder if that's a design defect or a defect in this particular piece of
hardware.

(Did 12 tows this morning and 2.3 hours in the LAK this afternoon!)


"BobW" wrote in message
...
On 6/1/2012 8:28 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:

Snip...

Later that day, an experienced pilot was flying his first flight in an
HP-14.
At 2,400' AGL we were indicating 1,100 fpm climb and said, "This is a
nice
thermal" on the radio. Seconds later the tow plane was jerked to the left
and
I looked over my right shoulder to see the glider at my 4 o'clock with a
large
loop of slack in the rope. I yelled, "Get off, get off, get off!!!" and,
to my
surprise, the response was the glider banking sharply into me and diving
past
my tail. Before I could grab the tow release, there was another sharp
jerk and
the rope broke. The glider pilot then enjoyed about 4 hours in the -14.

Snip...

Mercy!

Tell me again what that in-glider release is for?

My only self-induced rope break came on a BFR, demonstrating
instructor-induced slack rope recoveries. (Due to lack of practice at
slack rope after obtaining my license, I undoubtedly only got worse at
it.) So I understand the desire to recover an out of position towing
situation...just not at risk of life and limb.

On another BFR the instructor bemused both of us as we watched the rope
drift aft over the top of the G-103's wing until I could barely see the
aft end of the loop from the front cockpit. It was one of the times I
almost overrode an instructor's "My ship." In hindsight, we both agreed I
probably should have. What WERE we thinking?!?

Bob W.

On Jun 1, 5:40*pm, "Dan Marotta" wrote:
Yes, we checked the Pawnee and it's OK.

The glider's owner (not the pilot involved) told me that this release won't
let go unless it's under tension. *I'm not familiar with the design and
wonder if that's a design defect or a defect in this particular piece of
hardware.

(Did 12 tows this morning and 2.3 hours in the LAK this afternoon!)

"BobW" wrote in message

...







On 6/1/2012 8:28 AM, Dan Marotta wrote:

Snip...

Later that day, an experienced pilot was flying his first flight in an
HP-14.
At 2,400' AGL we were indicating 1,100 fpm climb and said, "This is a
nice
thermal" on the radio. Seconds later the tow plane was jerked to the left
and
I looked over my right shoulder to see the glider at my 4 o'clock with a
large
loop of slack in the rope. I yelled, "Get off, get off, get off!!!" and,
to my
surprise, the response was the glider banking sharply into me and diving
past
my tail. Before I could grab the tow release, there was another sharp
jerk and
the rope broke. The glider pilot then enjoyed about 4 hours in the -14..

Snip...

Mercy!

Tell me again what that in-glider release is for?

My only self-induced rope break came on a BFR, demonstrating
instructor-induced slack rope recoveries. (Due to lack of practice at
slack rope after obtaining my license, I undoubtedly only got worse at
it.) So I understand the desire to recover an out of position towing
situation...just not at risk of life and limb.

On another BFR the instructor bemused both of us as we watched the rope
drift aft over the top of the G-103's wing until I could barely see the
aft end of the loop from the front cockpit. It was one of the times I
almost overrode an instructor's "My ship." *In hindsight, we both agreed I
probably should have. What WERE we thinking?!?

Bob W.

It sounds like a failure of the release. Any release should "drop the
rope/ring" when pulled. Especially at ground speed = zero on the
launch line. I can see it now, tow line already hooked up, glider
pilot finds something wrong and cannot release and the radio gets
garbled by a walked on transmission, just as the tow plane goes full
throttle.

How did that one pass the condition inspection.

I'm sure the release rope break with the rope over the wing slew that
glider sideways. The pilot could not see the damage to the leading
edge of the wing and flew 4 hours?? WTFO.

T

I'm sure the release rope break with the rope over the wing slew that
glider sideways. The pilot could not see the damage to the leading
edge of the wing and flew 4 hours?? WTFO.

Helloooooooooooooooooo, captain CRUNCH, where are you????

Brad

What size rope were you using? Was there an weak link?

Boggs