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 a club member on the rear seat for a local soaring flight. The launch was uneventful; after release the glider soared a slope southwest of the airfield, circling at ~200-250 m before tracking back east towards the airfield.
2. Low time on type; rear stick in: The pilot held a glider licence since 1998 with ~106 h total and ~3 h on the Kranich III, but had flown ~500 launches on more than 50 different glider types and was a Class 3 inspector very familiar with the type's construction and handbook. The rear 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 the airfield from the south the glider arrived in the downwind area at ~120 m AGL. The pilot called over the radio for the landing. Witnesses observed that the glider did not roll out to set up the circuit but kept circling at low height.
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 and then impacted the ground nose-first ~450 m from the launch point. The cockpit was crushed and the fuselage broke ahead of the empennage. The pilot was fatally injured at the scene; the rear-seat occupant was recovered with serious injuries and died shortly afterwards in hospital. Examination found no technical defects; control linkages were continuous and all fractures were impact-related. Weight and balance were within limits.