Ground strike involving a Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH Nimbus 2, VH-GOG, Massie Field, Warwick, Queensland, on 30 December 1993

The pilot had not flown the aircraft type (a single seat machine) previously and was checked by the owner prior to commencing the flight. The glider was to be launched by being towed behind a powered aircraft. The pilot reported that the ground run was normal but after the glider became airborne it immediately climbed above the slipstream of the tug aircraft. The glider then descended below the slipstream and the pilot applied back stick to climb but the tail struck the ground.

The tail section broke off and the glider climbed before nosing down and impacting the ground. It rolled over after impact and the pilot sustained serious back injuries. The glider was a relatively high-performance type and is reported to be susceptible to pilot induced oscillations, particularly after take-off. The pilot had begun flying again in 1993 after a 10-year break.

Since recommencing flying, she had accumulated some 30 hours, of which only 2.5 were on single seat fibreglass types. The gliding club chief flying instructor was of the opinion that the pilot should have spent more time in other single seat gliders before attempting to fly this particular type.