ASH 25 stalls in low right orbit to lose excess height before outlanding

The front-seat pilot was fatally injured and the rear-seat pilot seriously hurt when an ASH 25 departed controlled flight in a low right orbit to bleed height before an outlanding; destroyed. After Grantown-on-Spey in a mountain-soaring contest, the crew committed to a field east of Tomintoul. On downwind they met rising air; airbrakes, flap and side-slip failed to lose enough height. Still too high on final, the pilot retracted airbrakes and started a low right orbit in strong NW wind off the Hills of Cromdale. Below ~70 m AGL the right wing dropped, the glider spun and hit marsh right-wing-first. No technical faults.

1. Mountain-soaring contest XC task: At a UK mountain-soaring competition from Aboyne, P1 (front) and P2 (rear) flew the ASH 25 on a 252.5 km task; after Grantown-on-Spey they judged, at about 900 m, that they could not return.
2. Strong NW wind + ridge turbulence: Wind 270–280° at 20–35 kt aloft with strong, gusty turbulence off the Hills of Cromdale near the accident site; surface 15 kt gusting 25 kt with locally variable direction.
3. Outlanding committed near Tomintoul: The crew agreed to land in a 270 m field east of Tomintoul, into wind; downwind and pre-landing checks were normal.
4. Rising air on downwind: On downwind the glider met rising air; airbrakes deployed, landing flap selected and a side-slip flown — without enough effect.
5. Still too high on final: On final the glider was still too high to land in the short field with houses beyond. The pilot retracted airbrakes and entered a right orbit close to the ground to bleed excess height.
6. Right wing drops below ~70 m AGL: During the low right orbit, below about 70 m AGL the right wing — closer to its stalling angle on the inside of the turn — dropped, the glider spun and entered a near-vertical dive.
7. Right-wing impact on marsh; P1 fatal: The glider struck marshy ground right-wing-first, near-vertical. The front-seat pilot died, the rear-seat pilot was seriously injured, and the airframe destroyed; no technical cause found.