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Glider pilot on initial tow climb has uncommanded spoiler deployment. Tow aircraft cannot maintain altitude and turns back to airport. Reporter releases the tow and lands.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 342750 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199607 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 1v5 |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Sail Plane |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 342750 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
As PIC of the glider, we towed to approximately 1000 ft AGL. At this point the spoilers on the glider partially deployed and were not noticed. The tow plane was unable to maintain altitude and turned back toward the field. I elected to abandon the tow and return to the field for landing. The landing was hard and did minor damage to the glider. The most significant thing about this event was that I never did recognize what the problem was. I have very little/recent experience in gliders and this situation was not addressed in training or chkouts. I believe that had I been exposed to an uncommanded spoiler deployment during my recent chkout, this situation would have been recognized and not evolved into something more complex.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GLIDER PLT ON INITIAL TOW CLB HAS UNCOMMANDED SPOILER DEPLOYMENT. TOW ACFT CANNOT MAINTAIN ALT AND TURNS BACK TO ARPT. RPTR RELEASES THE TOW AND LANDS.
Narrative: AS PIC OF THE GLIDER, WE TOWED TO APPROX 1000 FT AGL. AT THIS POINT THE SPOILERS ON THE GLIDER PARTIALLY DEPLOYED AND WERE NOT NOTICED. THE TOW PLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND TURNED BACK TOWARD THE FIELD. I ELECTED TO ABANDON THE TOW AND RETURN TO THE FIELD FOR LNDG. THE LNDG WAS HARD AND DID MINOR DAMAGE TO THE GLIDER. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING ABOUT THIS EVENT WAS THAT I NEVER DID RECOGNIZE WHAT THE PROB WAS. I HAVE VERY LITTLE/RECENT EXPERIENCE IN GLIDERS AND THIS SIT WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN TRAINING OR CHKOUTS. I BELIEVE THAT HAD I BEEN EXPOSED TO AN UNCOMMANDED SPOILER DEPLOYMENT DURING MY RECENT CHKOUT, THIS SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AND NOT EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING MORE COMPLEX.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.