Glider incident during a first solo flight - Unlocked Spoilers

During my solo flight on a ASK13, I experienced a low altitude cable release due to unlocked spoilers at takoff.

This video is for training and experience sharing. I tried to detail each step of the incident, the decision process and the important points to learn.

Feel free to share in our flying club and use it in your trainings.

[PureGlide]

Great work! I wouldn't wish a brakes open on anyone doing their first solo. The tow pilot did well to release so quickly when you went high. Turning right and the landing was perfect, so well done!

[Eriuqsrednef]

I am a 60 yr old student Pilot & videos like this one are very very useful. Especially the explanations too.
Our gliding club have a strict regime of pre flight checks before getting into glider & once inside & before flight. By watching videos like this, we understand why these checks are so important. Thankyou

[JacobGramtorp]

Well done, and a really good lesson for us all. On my first solo flight I had an actual rope break at 125m and landed without issue using a shortened circuit. Was really good for me to feel the safety of all the previous practice of rope breaks and aborted take offs paying off.

Happy landings and see you in the skies.

[SooperToober]

Appreciate you sharing this lesson with the flying community

[TheSoaringChannel]

Nice recovery and good on you to do as practiced - to cycle the release. THANK YOU FOR THE ENGLISH text in the video!

[grahamvenning]

Your post flight summary is excellent; not being tempted to abbreviate your check list items when feeling pressured by others is very important! Saying “Brakes closed and LOCKED” on check list is said for a reason; now many others will understand this thanks to your brave share. Well done!

[Frigate]

My comment relates to prevention. At our club, our wing runners do a short prelaunch challenge/response checklist with the pilot Straps (ON), Canopy (Closed and Locked), Spoilers (In and Locked). For this second flight, I noticed 3 gentlemen, one presumably the wing runner, standing off to the side and no one did the pre-launch check with you. Ultimately, it is the pilot's responsibility but for a low time, especially first solo(s) pilot, IMO, they should have executed the prelaunch challenge/response checks with you. Other than that, you handled yourself well for a first/second solo pilot and clearly learned a lot of lessons and are not afraid to admit your mistakes. All the best with your flying future.

[apackwestbound]

Thank you for contributing to our collective education, and for posting this excellent training video. I like the fact that the club has instituted a 30 minute minimum time between early solo flights. You know what happened, why it happened and took the third step to try and prevent it from happening again by amending the club's procedures. When an instructor explains the "why" something like a procedure/policy/rule exists it helps the student understand which is a step above simply complying.

[scheerlon]

Had my first solo in the ASK13 as well! Good you were able to get out of the situation without harm. I was pulled up by a winch so I had more time. (in fact i was doing the check twice, because I was so nervous haha) Getting rushed is really a bad thing, very nice they improved their system after that experience. Thanks for sharing it!

[andresteeg]

Exactly that happened to me in a Ka8 at my very first solo. It happened within the first 5 seconds at the winch. However, I was able to close and lock the handle instantly and even to continue my climb. I finished the flight without any further trouble.

[GoosebumpRacing]

Well done. Only thing that I reacted to is the tow pilot telling you not to land in the fields. Sure, it was the right decision this time, but he didn't know that for sure. The pilot (you) are deciding whats best for you in that situation, no one else is. Good job anyway!

[ayokay]

Incredibly informational video. THANKS!!! "You'll learn more from your accidents than you could ever learn at school." - Billy Joel

[christiansprojects-cgmanuf]

Well saved! I used to be a tow pilot in a Robin Remo 180 and Remo 200. Seeing the red spoilers pop up at low altitude in my rear view mirror has always been one of my biggest fears...

[CanadaMatt]

I had a spoiler jam open in my old Libelle. Nothing worse than seeing that red on the wing when you don't want to. Resulted in my first ever time landing out, too. The recovery cost me a lot of beer that night.

[profiskipinternational]

Wonderful teaching material. The ground camera footage clearly shows how the left wing spoiler pops out in a sudden. 🙄😯Great teamwork between tow pilot and student, well done. Tks for sharing.👍

[Ospif]

Main thing from this is important lessons were learned without harm (hopefully no damage to the glider). Pilot didn't panic and used observations gained from the previous flight to his advantage.

[astro_manta]

good on you for sharing this
there are more lessons to be learned here as well: you went high after the airbrakes opened up, thankfully the tug pilot released without delay but had he not done so the result could have been much worse - this is why when we're being towed we should always have our hand *on* the release knob until you reach 1000 feet (exception for flapped gliders)

[GuentherBN]

What really scares me is the initiation of the right turn without having enough airspeed. This could easily lead to a spin. At this altitude most likely not to be recovered before impact. We have a checklist after cable break (winch and aerotow): stick forward, check speed, release cabel, select approproate approach pattern (options to be determined before take-off).

[myobboy]

Very thoughtful, instructive and honest. Well done and thank you for making and posting.

[josefsoltes]

You did fine. Mistakes happen to everyone, kudoz to you for sharing. Nice landing btw :-) After we do our first solo, it is mandatory on our field, that is our last flight of the day. No more flying. Worked well for us so far. Also I recently finished my glider pilot exams and instructor simulated locked open brakes on winch launch. That was fun ;)