Olympia-Meise winch launch with unconnected elevator, crashes into trees

After a winch launch at Gelnhausen during a vintage gliding week, the pilot of an Olympia-Meise was fatally injured and the aircraft destroyed. During morning rigging with multiple helpers and repeated interruptions, the elevator linkage was never connected; no checklist was used and no witness recalled the connection being made, and the preflight control check did not catch it. The glider lifted off RWY 25 in a flat climb with no pitch authority and drifted right in the SW wind. The winch driver, seeing no proper climb, reduced power and the cable released at 80-100 m AGL. The glider then turned constantly right into perimeter trees.

1. Morning rigging at vintage gliding week: The glider was rigged by the pilot together with at least five helpers, including unfamiliar visiting pilots, with multiple interruptions and distractions during assembly.
2. Multiple helpers, several interruptions: No witness recalled helping with or confirming the elevator connection, which requires reaching through a small hand-hole to engage a spring bolt — awkward and best done by two people.
3. Elevator linkage left unconnected: The elevator linkage was found disconnected; the spring bolt sat in a position that looked engaged but was detectable by touch. The inspection cover was closed but not taped shut.
4. Preflight control check not effective: No witness saw a complete preflight control check performed, and no checklist was used, though the start director observed aileron movement at takeoff.
5. Winch launch with no pitch authority: After a winch launch in a crosswind, the initial climb was normal to flat; the pilot did not correct for drift, and the glider drifted right while pitch stayed flatter than usual.
6. Cable releases at ~80-100 m AGL: The winch driver reported the glider 'didn't take properly to the winch' as RPM kept rising; when climb stalled near 80-100 m AGL he cut power to idle, and the cable back-released.
7. Right bank drift toward perimeter trees: The glider kept its slight right bank, lowered the nose into a shallow glide, and continued in a steady right turn toward the perimeter trees, with no radio calls or control inputs observed.
8. Tree strike then ground impact, fatal: The glider struck trees about 950 m from the launch point and came down in the wood beyond; cockpit and tailplane separated. The pilot was fatally injured; the harness tore free.