Ultralight overflying a winch launch collides with an Astir on the cable

Three people were killed when an ultralight overflying a gliding field hit an Astir CS climbing on the winch cable at Saarmund; both aircraft were destroyed. The two-seat ultralight, from Schönhagen, descended to about 340 m and crossed the field unannounced — no radio call, transponder off, below the minimum overland height — just as a student began a winch launch on runway 09. Neither pilot saw the other: on the cable the glider pilot had almost no forward or side view, and the winch's warning beacon was partly hidden by a parasol. The glider had right of way over the ultralight, which was also overloaded. No technical fault was found.

1. Winch launch, runway 09: A student pilot began a winch launch of an Astir CS at Saarmund on runway 09 for a circuit flight.
2. Ultralight overflies low, unannounced: A two-seat ultralight from Schönhagen descended to about 340 m and crossed the gliding field unannounced — no radio call, transponder off — below the minimum overland height.
3. Warning beacon hidden by a parasol: The winch's warning beacon was partly hidden from the air by a sun parasol, and the ultralight pilot had not observed the glider operation.
4. Neither pilot sees the other: On the cable the glider pilot had almost no forward and only limited side view; the ultralight pilot did not see the winch operation.
5. Collision just before release: Just before the glider released, the ultralight struck it — its strut and propeller hitting the glider's right wing and right cockpit side.
6. Both break up, three killed: Both aircraft lost their wings and fell north of runway 09; all three occupants were killed and both aircraft destroyed.