Rolladen-Schneider LS-6B N246GC accident near Hinckley, Illinois

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the glider during takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he lost control of the glider during the first few seconds of the aerotow takeoff and the glider’s left wing contacted the ground. He stated that he released the glider from the tow airplane, but the glider cartwheeled. The pilot noted that he did not have a wing runner for the takeoff attempt. At the time of the accident the pilot reported that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the glider and that he had “poor airmanship” and was rushing in his flight preparations. The glider sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA177 for the full record.