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MKC86LA174

1986-08-24 · HUTCHINSON, Kansas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KS76

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A THOROUGH PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF THE HORIZONTAL TAIL, BEFORE HE PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE RUNWAY AND HOOKED THE TOW LINE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS INPUTS AND HE ABORTED THE AERO TOWING OPERATION BY BREAKING AWAY FROM THE TOW AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS HE DEPLOYED THE DIVE BRAKES THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE GLIDER STRUCK THE RUNWAY WHERE IT BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ELEVATOR PUSH ROD HAD NOT BEEN ATTACHED PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. THE TOW PLANE WAS NOT DAMAGED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_MKC86LA174.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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