Narrative:

This was a cross country training flight with a student into sfm. During approach and landing at the airport; it was observed that there were glider operations occurring on the grass to the south side of the active runway 25. The student and I landed the plane on runway 25 and taxied back to the takeoff end of the runway in preparation for our next leg of the trip. While checking our plane and adjusting instruments; a tow plane with a glider announced that they were taking off on runway 25 with a glider in tow. As we continued to check and set up our plane; the glider tow plane announced that they had released the glider. We continued with our pre-flight checks; scanned the area and waited for another plane to land on runway 25. Once we were ready for takeoff; both the student and I again scanned the runway approach and departure paths for traffic. We noticed that the released glider was coming in for a landing onto the grass to the south of runway 25 where the glider operations were in progress. The approach that the glider was taking placed it sufficiently to the side of the runway so as not to interfere with our departure. The approach path of the glider was to the south of runway 25 and in a direction directly opposite to runway 25 (parallel to runway 7). This placed the glider directly looking in the direction of the departure end of runway 25. Based upon the approach path of the glider; I told the student that we were clear to depart. The student self-announced our departure; waited a few seconds and then pulled out onto the runway applying full power for takeoff. I did a quick scan of our plane's instruments and control settings and then turned my attention to the runway ahead of us as the plane accelerated and the student lifted it from the runway. As I scanned ahead; the glider on approach to the grass landing on the south side of runway 25 turned to the north crossing directly in front of our plane as we were passing through approximately 100 feet AGL. The altitude of the glider at this point was approximately 75 feet higher and descending while it appeared to be about 400 feet in front of our plane. I immediately took control from the student. As the glider was descending and our plane was gaining speed and altitude; I did not believe that I could easily hold the plane below the glider nor did I believe that I could effectively climb above the glider. I also felt that a turn to the left (south) would have placed me over other planes and people at the glider operations and brought me back into the path of the glider if he turned back to land. My only option was to bank the plane to the right (north) on the same heading as the glider. I lowered our plane's nose to try to stop my climb and increase my airspeed and entered approximately a 30 to 35 degree banked turn to the north side of runway 25. My turn brought me approximately 250 to 300 feet off the north side of runway 25 before observing the glider made a sharp turn back toward the glider operation area on the south side of the runway. I then leveled out the turn passing approximately 200 feet from the glider at the same altitude. We continued our climb out departing from the airport.it is my belief that the problem arose due to the glider's failure to visually clear the runway for traffic and the glider's performance of a low level maneuver (circle) over and into the potential flight path of other aircraft rather than turning in a direction outside of the runway environment. Contributing to this was the apparent lack of radio communications for the glider. In the future; if glider operations are in progress at this airport; I will continue to hold until the glider completely lands.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Instructor pilot reported taking control of the aircraft after takeoff to avoid a glider which flew into the SFM Runway 25 departure path.

Narrative: This was a cross country training flight with a student into SFM. During approach and landing at the airport; it was observed that there were glider operations occurring on the grass to the South side of the active runway 25. The student and I landed the plane on runway 25 and taxied back to the takeoff end of the runway in preparation for our next leg of the trip. While checking our plane and adjusting instruments; a tow plane with a glider announced that they were taking off on runway 25 with a glider in tow. As we continued to check and set up our plane; the glider tow plane announced that they had released the glider. We continued with our pre-flight checks; scanned the area and waited for another plane to land on runway 25. Once we were ready for takeoff; both the student and I again scanned the runway approach and departure paths for traffic. We noticed that the released glider was coming in for a landing onto the grass to the south of runway 25 where the glider operations were in progress. The approach that the glider was taking placed it sufficiently to the side of the runway so as not to interfere with our departure. The approach path of the glider was to the south of Runway 25 and in a direction directly opposite to runway 25 (parallel to runway 7). This placed the glider directly looking in the direction of the departure end of runway 25. Based upon the approach path of the glider; I told the student that we were clear to depart. The student self-announced our departure; waited a few seconds and then pulled out onto the runway applying full power for takeoff. I did a quick scan of our plane's instruments and control settings and then turned my attention to the runway ahead of us as the plane accelerated and the student lifted it from the runway. As I scanned ahead; the glider on approach to the grass landing on the South side of runway 25 turned to the North crossing directly in front of our plane as we were passing through approximately 100 feet AGL. The altitude of the glider at this point was approximately 75 feet higher and descending while it appeared to be about 400 feet in front of our plane. I immediately took control from the student. As the glider was descending and our plane was gaining speed and altitude; I did not believe that I could easily hold the plane below the glider nor did I believe that I could effectively climb above the glider. I also felt that a turn to the left (south) would have placed me over other planes and people at the glider operations and brought me back into the path of the glider if he turned back to land. My only option was to bank the plane to the right (North) on the same heading as the glider. I lowered our plane's nose to try to stop my climb and increase my airspeed and entered approximately a 30 to 35 degree banked turn to the North side of runway 25. My turn brought me approximately 250 to 300 feet off the North side of runway 25 before observing the glider made a sharp turn back toward the glider operation area on the South side of the runway. I then leveled out the turn passing approximately 200 feet from the glider at the same altitude. We continued our climb out departing from the airport.It is my belief that the problem arose due to the glider's failure to visually clear the runway for traffic and the glider's performance of a low level maneuver (circle) over and into the potential flight path of other aircraft rather than turning in a direction outside of the runway environment. Contributing to this was the apparent lack of radio communications for the glider. In the future; if glider operations are in progress at this airport; I will continue to hold until the glider completely lands.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.