During the second winch tow launch of an ASK 21 glider at the Rheinstetten gliding site on 23 August 2023, an accident occurred in which the pilot and passenger were seriously injured, but the aircraft was only slightly damaged.
Shortly after take-off at a low altitude, the cable force of the electric winch was unexpectedly reduced, whereupon the cable detached from the glider and it landed hard on the ground with the nose wheel first. The pilot, in possession of a valid LAPL(S) licence with >1000 hours of gliding experience, was unable to recover the glider. The investigation revealed that the cable power suddenly decreased during take-off, which was due to the winch operator reducing the power control. The winch operator had previously heard a loud noise, which he interpreted as a rope break.
Source references:
Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation
