DG 505 pilot bails out after a folded headrest jams the elevator

A pilot escaped with minor injuries after bailing out of a DG 505 whose elevator jammed during aerobatics; the glider crashed into forest, substantially damaged. He had released from aerotow at about 1,700 m and flown several figures; but rolling inverted for a split-S near 600 m, the elevator would not respond when he pulled out, leaving the glider descending 30-45 degrees nose-down. Unable to recover, he bailed out at about 400 m. Investigators found the rear headrest could fold forward and jam the control stick: its retaining line had been reattached too long after maintenance, and a mandatory bulletin to fix this was not done.

1. Test flight, then aerobatics: A DG 505 aerotow-launched at Uelzen for a test flight after a new accelerometer had been fitted; the pilot released at about 1,700 m and began aerobatics.
2. Headrest line left too long: The rear headrest's retaining line had been reattached too long after maintenance and a mandatory service bulletin to correct it had not been done, so the headrest could fold forward and jam the control stick.
3. Breaks off a loop, checks controls: After several figures he broke off a loop over doubts about controllability and tested pitch and roll, finding nothing wrong.
4. Elevator jams recovering a split-S: Rolling inverted for a split-S near 600 m, the elevator would not respond when he pulled to recover; the glider could only be steered to 30-45 degrees nose-down.
5. Bails out at about 400 m: Unable to return to level flight, the pilot bailed out at about 400 m under an automatic parachute.
6. Glider crashes into forest: The empty glider pitched, looped and dropped into forest north-east of the field, substantially damaged; the pilot landed about 100 m away with minor injuries.