Standard Cirrus turnback stall after winch cable break

After a winch cable break at Bad Wildungen, the pilot of a Standard Cirrus was fatally injured and the aircraft destroyed. Very experienced on powered aircraft but with about 3 hours total glider time (20 minutes on type), the pilot launched from RWY 01 in a steep climb-out contrary to the flight manual, which requires the elevator slightly forward and never pulled. At about 70 m AGL the weak link broke at 600 daN, above the 550 daN maximum specified for the glider. The glider was brought level, entered a left turn of 49 m radius about 2 s later, and stalled after roughly 180 deg of turn, striking a field.

1. Winch launch on RWY 01: Burkard Grob Standard Cirrus (SN 569G, built 1975, 2,183 h / 1,515 launches total; ARC valid; last maintenance 01.05.2023; owner since Oct 2022). Winch launch at 13:06 local from RWY 01 (012°) at Segelfluggelände 'Auf der Schaufel' (310 m AMSL, 600×30 m grass, ~1,000 m winch strip). Weather: summer-like, NE wind 10 kt.
2. 59 yo, ~3 h glider, 20 min on type: Pilot 59 yo. EASA SPL (Part-FCL) for sailplanes + TMG since 19.09.2021. Also LAPL(A) since 1967 (SEP + TMG + Night), and UL/hang glider licence. Class LAPL medical valid (VML). Flight experience per logbook: powered SEP 216:49 h / 264 starts; TMG 42:56 h / 75 starts; ultralight 16:46 h / 44 starts; SAILPLANE only 3:13 h / 44 starts (training on ASK 21 / K 13); on type (Standard Cirrus): 20 min / 3 starts. Last 30 days: 3 glider launches.
3. Steep climb-out against flight manual: Witnesses described the launch as a 'Kavalierstart' — the glider took up a steep climbing attitude shortly after liftoff. The Standard Cirrus flight handbook (Nov 1969 edition, LBA-approved) explicitly requires winch takeoff with the elevator 'slightly forward — never pulled'.
4. Cable break at ~70 m AGL: At about 70 m AGL the launch cable's weak link broke. FLARM: maximum altitude reached 113 m AGL; climb rate clearly reduced at 109 m AGL (the break point). The recovered weak link was found ~160 m from the launch point on RWY 01: colour-coded blue, 600±60 daN — above the 550 daN maximum specified for this glider in the flight manual.
5. Level, then left turn 49 m radius: Per witnesses and FLARM: the glider was first brought to a horizontal attitude with low airspeed. About 2 seconds after the cable break the glider entered a left turn with a radius of 49 m, apparently intending a shortened circuit back to the field.
6. After 180°, stall and ground impact: After approximately 180° of heading change, the glider stalled (wing-drop) and entered a half spin-like rotation before impacting a field ~90 m W and ~260 m NNW of the launch point. Last FLARM signal at 62 m AGL.
7. Aircraft destroyed, pilot fatal: Wreckage: nose destroyed up to the wings; both wing leading edges showed ground contact impressions; left wing broken at fuselage transition; empennage broken from fuselage. Control surfaces still connected. Pilot fatally injured. Winch driver reported no malfunction during the launch. The BFU completed the investigation as a facts-only summary report; no analysis or conclusions. The BFU cites four prior FUS/BFU safety bulletins on launch interruptions (V39/1985, V63/1987, V92/1991, V139/1995).