Discus 2b stalls after winch launch with improvised wingtip support

The pilot of a Discus 2b was seriously injured in a stall and roll-over shortly after a winch launch from grass RWY 12; aircraft destroyed. Launching solo without a wing runner, the pilot rested the right wingtip on an improvised ~50 cm folding bench, leaving the wings non-level. In a gusty east-south-easterly crosswind from the right (peaks ~33 km/h), the glider rolled right about its longitudinal axis after lift-off and, from low height, tipped over inverted ~100 m from the launch point. The probable cause was a climb attitude below stall speed, aggravated by a right-heavy tendency from the improvised wingtip support and the crosswind.

1. Winch launch from grass RWY 12: The glider was prepared for a winch launch on the grass runway for a planned cross-country; no water ballast was found at the wreck despite one being planned.
2. Gusty crosswind from the right: Surface wind at the launch was easterly and gusty, with peaks around 33 km/h; with the runway aligned 120°, the crosswind component came from the right during the ground roll.
3. No wing runner; wingtip on bench: With no helper available, the pilot started without a wing runner; the right wingtip rested on a folding bench, which could not level the wings and left a right-heavy tendency.
4. Right roll after lift-off: Witnesses saw the glider roll right immediately after lift-off; the right wing likely touched the ground after leaving the bench, producing asymmetric yaw.
5. Stall from low climb attitude: From low height the glider entered a climb attitude below stall speed; the airflow separated and it tipped over the right wing. No technical defects were found.
6. Inverted impact ~100 m from start: The glider struck the ground inverted about 100 m from the launch point, beyond the southern airfield boundary; the canopy shattered and the fuselage broke in the middle.