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, with limited total experience and only a brief introduction to the accident type.
3. Airbrake handling coached on final: Radio recordings captured prompts to correct airbrake handling during final approach; the pilot said he had stopped listening to the radio late in the approach.
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 struck treetops at the edge of woodland beside the airfield; parts of the right wing separated among the trees, and part of the tail hung in the canopy before the wreckage.
6. Pilot seriously injured; K 8B wrecked: The glider dropped near-vertically; the cockpit was destroyed on impact and the pilot was seriously injured, remaining strapped in until rescue arrived. No technical defects were found.