LAK-19 steep winch climb, oscillations, roll-off at 30-40 m

A LAK-19 was destroyed and the pilot fatally injured shortly after liftoff on a second winch launch of a competition day at Bohmte-Bad Essen (Germany). The glider carried about 80 litres of water ballast. Witnesses saw an unusually steep climb attitude at low altitude with slight yaw oscillations about the vertical axis. At about 30 to 40 m AGL it rolled off over the right wing and impacted almost vertically about 170 m from the launch point. Control linkages were examined and showed no technical defects; the pilot had about 900 h total but only one prior hour on type.

1. Winch launch with ~80 L ballast: At 12:55 LT, on the second start of a competition day at Bohmte-Bad Essen (EDXD), the LAK-19 launches on the electric winch from RWY 28 carrying about 80 litres of water ballast.
2. Steep climb at low altitude: Immediately after liftoff, witnesses see the glider take an unusually steep climb attitude at low altitude on the winch cable.
3. Slight yaw oscillations: While in the steep climb, the glider performs slight pendular movements about the vertical axis.
4. Roll-off over right wing at 30-40 m: At approximately 30 to 40 metres above the ground the glider rolls off over the right wing — the classic low-energy departure from a steep winch climb.
5. Near-vertical impact 170 m from start: About 170 m from the launch point on the grass runway the glider impacts the ground almost vertically. The right wing makes first ground contact; the nose impacts about 25 m further, and the wreckage comes to rest 13 m beyond. Both wings are torn from the fuselage; the tail boom is broken. The aircraft is destroyed and the pilot is fatally injured.
6. No defects; low currency on type: Examination of aileron and elevator control linkages finds them intact; no technical defects are identified. All breaks of the control rods and structure are attributable to the impact. The pilot held a glider licence since 1990 and an instructor rating with about 900 hours total; only one prior flight on the LAK-19 (one hour, six days earlier) is recorded.