ASW 19 wing catches tall grass on winch launch, glider rolls inverted

An ASW 19 B was substantially damaged on a winch launch from RWY 01 at Pinnow (Germany); the pilot was seriously injured. He was being checked out on the type with 250 h total, on a second flight after a prior 12-minute familiarisation. During the ground roll the right wing touched the ground and caught in about 40 cm vegetation beside the launch strip, which was mowed only for the first 40 m. The fuselage lifted, the glider rolled around its longitudinal axis, and impacted inverted 139 m from launch, about 20 m east of the winch strip.

1. Winch launch RWY 01 ~13:33 LT: The pilot began a winch launch in an ASW 19 B on RWY 01 of Sonderlandeplatz Pinnow, the winch offset so the launch direction was rotated about 10° west of the runway heading.
2. Type check-out, 2nd flight on ASW 19: The pilot was being checked out on the ASW 19 type; this was his second flight on the type, after a prior 12-minute flight.
3. Short mowed strip, 40 cm grass beyond: The launch area was only mowed short for the first ~40 m from the start point; beyond that the vegetation along the launch strip was about 40 cm tall.
4. Right wing catches in tall grass: During the ground roll witnesses saw the right wing touch the ground and become caught in the ~40 cm vegetation beside the mowed area.
5. Rolls inverted, impacts at 139 m: With the right wing held back, the fuselage lifted and the glider rolled inverted, impacting the ground about 139 m from the launch point; the pilot was seriously injured.