K 8B undershoots final and strikes trees

The student pilot of a Schleicher K 8B was seriously injured on a solo circuit at Iserlohn-Sümmern when the glider undershot final and struck trees; aircraft substantially damaged. On approach to RWY 05 the glider fell short of the threshold and contacted treetops at the edge of woodland adjacent to the field, shedding parts of the right wing and the horizontal tail before dropping near-vertically to the ground. The pilot had ~23 h total and 1:09 h on type; radio coaching on airbrake handling was given on final. No technical defects were found. The investigation was closed as facts-only; no probable cause was attributed.

1. Solo circuit, student pilot: A student pilot launched solo from Iserlohn-Sümmern in a Schleicher K 8B for a circuit flight. Take-off and pattern flight were unremarkable.
2. Low experience: 23 h, 1:09 on type: The pilot had begun training in April 2009 and flown first solos the previous September. Total experience was about 23 h, with eight launches and 1 h 09 min on the K 8B (8 launches and 1 h 03 min in the last 90 days).
3. Airbrake handling coached on final: Audio captured from the launch point recorded radio prompts to the student to correct airbrake handling during the final approach. The pilot reported having stopped radio communication in the late part of final.
4. Undershoot of final to RWY 05: On final to the 760 m grass RWY 05, the glider fell short of the threshold. Wind was from the north-east at 10–15 km/h; visibility was over 10 km.
5. Tree strike short of threshold: The glider contacted treetops at the edge of woodland adjacent to the airfield, about 40 m short of the impact point. Parts of the right wing separated in the trees, and a section of the horizontal tail hung in the canopy about 16 m before the main wreckage.
6. Pilot seriously injured; K 8B wrecked: The glider dropped near-vertically to the ground; the cockpit area was destroyed on impact and the pilot was seriously injured, remaining strapped in until rescue arrived. Post-accident examination found no technical defects or control restrictions.