Mini Nimbus stalls thermalling below a safe landing height

The pilot of a Mini Nimbus was fatally injured when the glider stalled while thermalling low near Barlavington and struck trees; aircraft destroyed. Having descended past the heights at which a field landing is normally committed, the pilot began tight turns to thermal at about 120 m. On the third orbit the glider stalled and dropped a wing, losing about 85 m; a hard recovery was followed by a wider turn that tightened into a second stall at about 105 m. The wings came level but the glider hit the treetops and then the ground.

1. Local soaring flight: The glider took off by aerotow, climbed in two thermals to about 1,160 m, then tracked west through sinking air before turning back east near Cocking at about 365 m AGL.
2. Challenging weather: Westerly winds of 15-20 kt made conditions challenging that day, with strong gusts and heavy sink; two other pilots in the area later landed out after broad sink.
3. Past BGA field-landing heights: Standard guidance calls for choosing a field by 1,500 ft and committing to land by 900 ft; the glider crossed suitable open fields below these heights without committing to land.
4. Thermal attempt at 120 m AGL: At approximately 120 m AGL the pilot initiated tight orbits in an apparent attempt to thermal rather than commit to a forced landing. Three orbits gained approximately 60 m.
5. First stall and wing-drop: During the orbit the glider pitched and rolled sharply, losing about 85 m in four seconds; the recovery pulled about 3.4 g, consistent with the Mini Nimbus C's wing-drop stall.
6. Second stall at ~105 m AGL: A wider right turn was tightened; data and wreckage orientation indicate a second loss of control matching the same stall/wing-drop pattern, again followed by an apparent recovery.
7. Treetop and ground impact: The glider struck treetops with wings level; the right wing tore off at the root and the left wing broke in half. The fuselage struck the ground hard; the pilot died and no fault was found.