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: The pilot began a winch launch at 13:06 from runway 01 at Segelfluggelände 'Auf der Schaufel' in summer weather with a light northeasterly wind.
2. 59 yo, ~3 h glider, 20 min on type: The pilot had very limited overall glider experience and had flown the accident glider type only briefly beforehand.
3. Steep climb-out against flight manual: Witnesses described a 'Kavalierstart': the glider pitched into a steep climb shortly after liftoff, against the manual's requirement to hold the elevator forward, not pulled.
4. Cable break at ~70 m AGL: At about 70 m AGL the launch cable's weak link broke, above the maximum load specified for this glider; climb rate had already dropped just before the break.
5. Level, then left turn 49 m radius: The glider was first leveled at low airspeed; about 2 seconds after the cable break it entered a left turn of about 49 m radius, apparently to shorten the circuit back.
6. After 180°, stall and ground impact: After about 180° of turn the glider stalled, dropped a wing, and entered a half spin-like rotation before hitting a field near the launch point.
7. Aircraft destroyed, pilot fatal: The nose and both wing leading edges showed impact damage, with the left wing and tail broken from the fuselage; the pilot was fatally injured. The winch driver reported no malfunction.