DG-600 stall and spin on winch launch as cable slackened

The pilot of a DG-600 was fatally injured in a stall and spin from a winch launch at Ridgewell; aircraft destroyed. The glider rotated into a steeper-than-normal full climb with reducing airspeed; the winch operator reduced throttle as cable load increased and engine rpm dropped. At about 90-105 m AGL with a markedly nose-high attitude the cable slackened, but the climb angle was not reduced. The glider yawed right, dropped the right wing and entered a right-hand spin as the cable released, with insufficient height to recover. The DG-600 has documented sharp-edged stall characteristics with minimal natural warning before the break.

1. Winch launch from RWY 23 at Ridgewell: The pilot took a winch launch from RWY 23 at Ridgewell in light NW wind, broken cloud base ~460 m, good visibility. The DG-600 (1988 build, modified to 18 m wingtip extensions in 1998) was the pilot's own glider; he was very experienced with several thousand hours on type.
2. Climb steeper than normal: The ground roll and acceleration were normal but the glider rotated into a full climb at a pitch attitude steeper than expected. During the climb witnesses perceived the airspeed reducing.
3. Cable load up, winch rpm drops: The high climb load on the winch cable caused the winch engine rpm to fall. The winch operator reduced the throttle setting to allow the engine to recover, expecting the pilot to lower the nose and reduce the climb angle so the launch could continue.
4. Cable slackens at ~100 m AGL, nose-high: At approximately 90-105 m AGL the winch pull reduced and the cable slackened. The glider was at a markedly nose-high attitude; the climb angle was not reduced.
5. Right yaw and wing drop into right spin: The glider yawed right, the nose dropped, and the cable separated. The right wing dropped and the glider entered a right-hand spin from low altitude with insufficient height to recover. The DG-600 is documented as having sharp-edged stall characteristics with minimal warning before the break; an additional UK stall-warning system was fitted as a Certificate of Airworthiness requirement.
6. Impact at RWY 23; pilot fatally injured: The glider continued spinning to ground impact near the left edge of RWY 23. Aircraft destroyed; pilot fatally injured.