DG-800 falls uncontrolled after pilot's in-flight cardiac event

A pilot died of an acute cardiac event ~17 min into a self-launched thermal flight; the unattended DG-800 fell spin-like into nearby forest, aircraft destroyed. Takeoff at 15:54 LT in good weather; with the engine retracted, witnesses saw the glider enter an uncontrolled attitude and descend into trees ~17 min later. No technical defects; the salvaged LX 20 GPS data was destroyed at impact. Autopsy attributed death to acute coronary cardiac arrest; toxicology negative for alcohol and drugs of concern; no prior signs the pilot was unfit to fly. The pilot held a valid licence with substantial experience and sufficient currency on type.

1. Self-launched thermal flight: The pilot self-launched at 15:54 in his DG-800 B for a thermal flight in good VFR conditions, with no pre-flight or fitness-to-fly concerns noted.
2. Engine retracted, ~17 min into flight: After ~17 min of flight time the engine was retracted (Klapptriebwerk). No technical defects were later found on the airframe or powerplant.
3. Acute cardiac event in flight: A forensic autopsy attributed the pilot's death to acute coronary cardiac arrest in flight; toxicology was negative for alcohol, sedatives, painkillers and beta-blockers.
4. Uncontrolled spin-like descent: Witnesses observed the unattended glider enter an uncontrolled attitude and fall in a spin-like motion toward a nearby forested area.
5. Forest impact; aircraft destroyed: The glider struck a wooded area; the pilot was found deceased and the aircraft destroyed, with no third-party damage. The recovered GPS recorder was damaged and its track data lost.