ASH 25 M stalls and spins in slow ridge circle below 100 m

Both occupants of an ASH 25 M were fatally injured when the glider stalled and spin-departed from a slow ridge circle near Pfronten; aircraft destroyed. After self-launch from Füssen, witnesses saw the glider circling less than 100 m AGL above the Kienberg ridge in turbulent, weak-lift conditions. Bank angles varied and airspeed decayed to a stall; the spin-like descent began at very low height and the glider impacted the forested south slope. Takeoff was slightly above max mass; the pilot had low recent practice and an untreated medical condition that couldn't be excluded. No in-flight medical event proven; no technical faults found.

1. Self-launch from Füssen, local alpine: The pilot self-launched the ASH 25 M two-seat motor glider from Füssen with a passenger on board for a local alpine sightseeing and familiarization flight in the nearby ridges around the Kienberg.
2. Takeoff slightly above max mass: The aircraft departed slightly above its maximum permitted takeoff mass, reducing performance margins — particularly in weak thermals and turbulence.
3. Low recent practice + untreated medical: The pilot had low recent flying practice. He also had a significant, partly untreated medical condition that could not be excluded as a contributing factor; no in-flight medical event was proven.
4. Weak lift + turbulence on Kienberg: In the Kienberg area the thermals were weak and the wind was gusty with moderate to strong turbulence, making low-altitude ridge thermalling demanding.
5. Slow ridge circle below 100 m: While circling less than ~100 m AGL above the Kienberg ridge in varying bank angles, the airspeed decayed to an unsafe value in the turbulent conditions.
6. Stall and spin-like departure: The ASH 25 M stalled and departed in a spin-like, steeply nose-down flight path from very low height; the available altitude did not allow recovery.
7. Impact south slope; both fatal: The glider impacted steep, forested terrain on the south side of the Kienberg and was destroyed; both occupants were fatally injured. The investigation found no technical faults in the airframe or controls.