AN “uncommanded air break deployment” on a just-launched glider caused its 80-year-old pilot to crash into trees, air accident investigators found.

The elderly pilot was seriously injured in the accident, which happened shortly after 1pm on August 16, 2025, at the South Wales Glider Club at Gwernesney near Usk, and left the craft hanging 15 foot off the ground with damage to the fuselage, wings and tail.

The Air Accidents Investigations Branch found: "The accident was caused by the airbrake handle becoming unlocked during a minor technical corrective action in the cockpit earlier in the day. The unsafe condition of the handle was not noticed by the pilot.

"The handle moved rearwards during the winch launch and the airbrakes deployed as a result."

The board's bulletin report noted that after releasing the cable, he noticed “an excessive sink rate” and “a lower-than-normal airspeed”, but a radio call warning of the airbrake position from the ground was not heard by him.

"Realising something was wrong, he attempted to increase his airspeed by lowering the nose, but this had little effect and the pilot decided to return to the airfield...

"His options were limited, the aircraft was too low to avoid a row of trees ahead, and risked a stall if the pilot had pitched up to clear them.

"The aircraft hit the tree tops and was brought to a stop. He was injured in the process and the glider sustained damage."

According to the pilot, there were problems attaching the launch cable beforehand, which had to be rerailed in the cockpit before lift off, when the airbrake handle was probably unlocked accidentally.

During the winch launch at about 600ft the airbrakes deployed when the pitch angle caused the unrestrained handle to move.

"In hindsight the pilot realises that he had focussed on the cable and hook activity and had not checked that the airbrake lever was locked after the cable rerailing or during the pre-flight check," the report concluded.