ASK 21 hits trees short of airfield on gusty approach

The rear-seat occupant of an ASK 21 was seriously injured when the glider struck trees on final at Kamp-Lintfort; aircraft substantially damaged. After a winch launch and ~12 min of local soaring in gusty 22-33 km/h easterlies, the glider turned in to land. The pilot reported increased sink on final and the glider approached low from the west. About 100 m short of the boundary the right wing contacted trees; the glider yawed through 180 degrees and fell onto a swimming-pool cover, where a roof beam penetrated the rear cockpit. No technical defects were found. The probable cause was misjudgement of approach height in the gusty wind.

1. Winch launch and local soaring: An ASK 21 launched by winch from the 600 m grass strip at Kamp-Lintfort with two occupants, then circled in the southern pattern area for about 12 minutes before returning to land.
2. Gusty 22-33 km/h easterly wind: Visual flight conditions prevailed with light cloud, but witnesses reported very gusty wind from 070-100 degrees at 22-33 km/h, demanding for a glider approach.
3. Increased sink on final approach: Returning to land, the pilot reported encountering greater than expected sink during the final approach and was unable to hold the planned glide path to the airfield.
4. Low approach from the west: The glider continued at low altitude from the west toward RWY 07. Height above the obstacles between the approach line and the airfield boundary was misjudged in the prevailing wind.
5. Right wing strikes trees short of field: About 100 m west of the airfield boundary the right wing contacted trees. The contact occurred at low height with no margin to recover the flight path.
6. 180-degree yaw onto pool cover: The glider rotated about 180 degrees and fell fuselage-first onto a swimming pool cover. The canopy was destroyed and a beam penetrated the rear cockpit.
7. Rear-seat occupant seriously injured: The rear-seat occupant was seriously injured; the front-seat pilot was not injured. The glider was substantially damaged, with no technical defects found on the aircraft.