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LAX89LA291

1989-08-30 · HEMET, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport HMT

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

INADEQUATE CREW COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TOW PILOT AND GLIDER PILOT, FAILURE OF THE GLIDER PILOT TO OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE, AND THE TOW PILOT'S MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE GLIDER PILOT'S INTENTIONS.

Factual narrative

WHEN THE GLIDER PLT & TOW PLT WERE READY TO LAUNCH, THE RWY ASSISTANT WAS HELPING WITH THE LAUNCH OF ANOTHER GLIDER. THE GLIDER PLT OF N65843 ELECTED TO CONNECT THE TOW LINE TO HIS OWN GLIDER. THE TOW PLANE WAS TAXIED INTO PSN & THE GLIDER PLT CONNECTED THE LINE. THE TOW PLT WATCHED AS THE GLIDER PLT GOT INTO THE COCKPIT (AFT SEAT) WITH A PSGR IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE GLIDER PLT THEN DECIDED TO GET OUT AGAIN TO ADJUST HIS SEAT CUSHION. HOWEVER, AS HE WAS GETTING OUT, THE TOW PLT SAW MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER WHICH HE ASSUMED WAS THE SIGNAL FOR LAUNCH. THE TOW PLT LOOKED AWAY & BGN A TAKEOFF WITH ONLY THE PSGR IN THE GLIDER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED AS IT WENT OUT OF CONTROL, STALLED & CRASHED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA291.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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