ASW 28-18 cable break at 100-120 m — normal attitude not regained, stall

After a winch cable break at Bonn-Hangelar, the pilot of an ASW 28-18 was seriously injured and the glider heavily damaged. The pilot had 93 hours total but only 30 minutes on type; this was the fourth start on type. At 100-120 m AGL on RWY 11 the cable broke after a slight increase in climb angle. Overwhelmed by the recovery on a still-unfamiliar type, the pilot did not bring the glider back to a normal attitude in time; horizontal flight speed was not reached and the glider stalled. With insufficient altitude to recover, it impacted the ground 250 m east of the launch point.

1. Winch launch from Bonn-Hangelar: Winch launch at 16:00 from RW 11; normal initial climb to about 50 m.
2. Very low experience on type: 17 yo pilot with 93 h total but only 30 min on the ASW 28-18 across a single flight 10 months earlier. The accident flight was the 4th start on type.
3. Cable break at 100-120 m AGL: Climb angle was slightly steepened; the cable failed at the weak link at 100-120 m.
4. Normal attitude not regained: Glider was not returned to a normal flight attitude in time; required horizontal flight speed was not reached.
5. Stall and spin-like nose-down: Glider stalled and entered a steep nose-down with spin-like motion.
6. Ground impact 250 m E of launch: Left wing touched first, glider rotated 180° before coming to rest. Aircraft heavily damaged; pilot seriously injured.