K 8 rolls in off a dropped wing after a confused winch-launch abort

A pilot was seriously injured when a K 8 rolled off its right wing from 10-15 m on a winch launch at Hamburg-Boberg; the glider was substantially damaged. On the ground run the right wingtip touched down and it veered right. The marshal called an abort and the winch driver braked, but the glider lifted off just as a keep-towing command was given; the cable released, and — too slow for the controls to bite — it dropped the right wing and rolled in by the runway. The pilot had held stick and rudder left against the veer, but said it was too slow after the cable slackened to have effect. No pre-impact controllability problem was found.

1. Winch launch from runway 12: A K 8 began a winch launch from runway 12 at Hamburg-Boberg in an 15-22 km/h wind.
2. Right wing touches down, veers right: On the ground run the right wingtip touched the ground and the glider veered to the right.
3. Abort called, then keep towing: The launch marshal called an abort and the winch driver braked the cable, but a keep-towing command then followed.
4. Lifts off slow, cable releases: The glider lifted off very slowly and the cable released from the tow hook.
5. Left correction has no effect: The pilot held stick and rudder left against the veer, but the glider was too slow after the cable slackened for the correction to bite.
6. Rolls off the right wing: The glider dropped its right wing and struck the ground beside the runway from 10-15 m, right wing then cockpit first; the pilot was seriously injured and the glider substantially damaged.