LS8-T spins out of right turn while thermalling; near-vertical impact

The pilot of an LS8-T died in an orchard E of Markdorf during a thermalling flight; the aircraft was destroyed. The glider had launched on the winch from Markdorf at about 12:30 LT with the sustainer engine retracted. Witnesses observed it circling south of the Gehrenberg. From a right-hand turn the pitch and bank angles suddenly increased; the glider entered a spin and impacted the ground almost vertically. The pilot had about 597 flight hours but only 6 on the LS8-T, and the accident flight was only his second flight of the year. The on-board flight logger was destroyed; no technical defects were identified.

1. Winch launch for thermalling: At about 12:30 LT the LS8-T launches on the winch from Markdorf glider airfield for a thermalling flight, with the sustainer engine retracted in the fuselage.
2. Low currency on type: The pilot had flown the aircraft type only rarely, with very little recent flying before the accident flight.
3. Pitch/bank spike out of right turn: After a few minutes of flight witnesses see the glider circling south of the Gehrenberg. From a right-hand turn the pitch and bank angles suddenly increase.
4. Spin entry, no recovery: The glider enters a spin and does not recover before ground contact. No distress call is transmitted.
5. Near-vertical impact in orchard: The glider struck an orchard at the eastern edge of Markdorf almost vertically, destroying the cockpit; no technical defects were found and the pilot was fatally injured.