Recipient

British Gliding Association

First report 3 Nov 2021•Latest report 3 Nov 2021

Recipient record

Reports, concerns and published responses

Private and voluntary organisations · Aviation sector body. This page brings together reports naming this recipient and response statements clearly connected to concerns raised in those reports.

Reports: 1
Published responses: 100%
Concerns addressed: 1
Stated actions: 8

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

Evidence profile

Report topics

Share of this recipient’s reports compared with all other recipients.

100%published responses found

8stated actions described

Topic comparisons are not available in the current evidence snapshot.

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from British Gliding Association linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

3 Nov2021
Gwent
Concerns raised1
1. Failure to use effective radio communication between ground crew and glider pilots during launch and flight
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 8
1. Action
  Use club site safety reviews to check compliance with required signalling standards.
  Status unclear
2. Action
  Provide future reminders to club officials and pilots about aerotow signalling requirements, beginning before the spring 2022 gliding season.
  Stated planned
3. Action
  Adopt, publish and promulgate amended launch-signalling regulations requiring reliable, unambiguous signalling and backup methods where radio communication is unavailable.
  Stated completed
1. Action
  Require clubs restarting gliding to have pilots and instructors review safety information, including signalling requirements.
  Stated completed
2. Action
  Remind club chairmen and Chief Flying Instructors about the AAIB findings and aerotow signalling requirements.
  Stated completed
3. Action
  Direct club officers responsible for launching and launch signalling to the published signalling requirements and guidance.
  Stated completed
4. Action
  Review launch signalling with experts and clubs and clarify required primary and backup signalling in revised rules and guidance.
  Stated completed
5. Action
  Continue monitoring launch-signalling occurrence data to assess whether further safety action is required.
  Stated completed
AI-generated summary

Steven Phillip Evans · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Steven Phillip Evans was preparing to fly a glider when its tail plane became dislodged during launch, causing it to crash. He sustained serious injuries and died on 1 August 2019. The principal concern was that ineffective communication between ground crew and aircraft pilots failed to alert those involved to problems with the glider before launch; the report noted that radios may not be in use at other clubs and could put lives at risk in the future.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to British Gliding Association; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to use effective radio communication between ground crew and glider pilots during launch and flight
Wider context from the report
“1. Mandatory radio communication between ground crew and aircraft pilots. During the course of the inquest the jury heard that problems with Steven’s glider were observed before the glider was launched however the system of communication did not alert either the tug plane operator or Steven Evans to the problems prior to his launch. In the circumstances I consider this constituted a failure to adopt an effective communication system at launch, a finding endorsed by the Air Accident Investigation Branch. However, there was insufficient information to determine that this contributed to Steven’s death as the glider crashed within seconds of the fault being identified. In evidence it became clear that the CAA do not mandate the use of radios in the relevant aircraft and by the ground crew and whilst this was previously recommended by the BGA it was not usual practice at South Wales Gliding Club until after Steven’s death. Whilst it was not determined that the failure to have radio communication contributed to Steven’s death it appears that radios may still not be in use in other clubs and therefore lives may be put at risk in the future. I consider that further consideration should be given by the CAA to require effective radio communication not only at launch but throughout the glider flight and that the BGA further strengthen the current guidelines that radios are strongly recommended. ”
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Use club site safety reviews to check compliance with required signalling standards.

Verbatim wording from the response
“6. Club site safety reviews support checking of the required signalling requirements and standards.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Provide future reminders to club officials and pilots about aerotow signalling requirements, beginning before the spring 2022 gliding season.

Verbatim wording from the response
“9. Aerotow signalling operational regulation and associated requirements will be the subject of future reminders to club officials and pilots. The next reminder will be provided to clubs just ahead of spring 2022 to coincide with the start of the main gliding season and will be co-ordinated with any CAA safety promotion opportunity.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Adopt, publish and promulgate amended launch-signalling regulations requiring reliable, unambiguous signalling and backup methods where radio communication is unavailable.

Verbatim wording from the response
“2. During early February 2021, the BGA wrote to club chairmen describing the AAIB report, the associated outcomes, BGA the revised operational regulations and associated requirements and the intention to formally adopt those at the AGM.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 1 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Require clubs restarting gliding to have pilots and instructors review safety information, including signalling requirements.

Verbatim wording from the response
“5. During May 2021, gliding restarted after several long pauses associated with Covid restrictions. As part of the restart process, all clubs required their pilots and instructors to review safety information including that relating to signalling.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Remind club chairmen and Chief Flying Instructors about the AAIB findings and aerotow signalling requirements.

Verbatim wording from the response
“8. During early November 2021, all BGA club Chairmen and club Chief Flying Instructors (who oversee club flying operations) were again reminded of the AAIB report and outcomes, and the BGA operational regulation and associated requirements for aerotow signalling.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Direct club officers responsible for launching and launch signalling to the published signalling requirements and guidance.

Verbatim wording from the response
“4. All gliding club officers responsible for launching and launch signalling have been directed towards this online published information.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Review launch signalling with experts and clubs and clarify required primary and backup signalling in revised rules and guidance.

Verbatim wording from the response
“1. During June 2020, in response to the AAIB’s report and recommendation, the BGA carefully reviewed launch signalling, raised in detail and discussed the issues with subject matter experts and all gliding clubs, and clarified through draft revised rules and associated guidance what type of signalling is required, including guidance on back up signalling.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 1 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Continue monitoring launch-signalling occurrence data to assess whether further safety action is required.

Verbatim wording from the response
“10. Occurrence data relating to launch signalling will continue to be monitored to assess where further action may be required.”

Source location
2021-0372-Response-from-British-Gliding-Association_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 9 November 2021
Open published response

Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Concerns raised1

Failure to use effective radio communication between ground crew and glider pilots during launch and flight

Actions described in response An action is something this recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.8

Actions described in response 8