Kranich III stalls in low circling turn; departs in spin

Both occupants of a DFS Kranich III were fatally injured when the glider spun into woodland during a local flight; aircraft destroyed. After a winch launch the glider continued circling at low height in the downwind area while the pilot called for landing on RWY 07. Witnesses described the airspeed as too slow; the glider stalled from ~120 m AGL, departed into a spin-like rotation and struck trees almost vertically. Probable cause: insufficient airspeed in a low circling turn, leaving no margin to recover. No technical defects were found; the rear stick had not been removed and rear-seat input could not be ruled out.

1. Winch launch, local soaring flight: The pilot launched on the winch from RWY 07 with another occupant in the rear seat, then soared a slope southwest of the field, circling at ~200-250 m before tracking back east.
2. Low time on type; rear stick in: The rear control stick had not been removed, and the rear-seat occupant held a motorglider licence, so rear-seat input during the flight could not be excluded.
3. Low circling over downwind area: Approaching from the south, the glider reached the downwind area at ~120 m AGL; the pilot called the landing by radio, but witnesses saw it keep circling low instead of rolling out.
4. Low airspeed in circling turn: Witnesses described the airspeed during the circling turn as too slow. The required airspeed for the bank angle was undershot, leading to a stall.
5. Stall and spin-like departure ~120 m: The glider departed in a wing-drop from low height and entered a spin-like rotation. The altitude available was insufficient to recover the stalled state.
6. Both fatally injured; glider destroyed: The glider struck a ~25 m treeline almost vertically, then hit the ground nose-first; the cockpit was crushed and the fuselage broke ahead of the tail. Both occupants were fatally injured.