Jantar Standard 2 stalls and spins in winch launch rotation

The pilot of an SZD-48-1 Jantar Standard 2 was fatally injured when the glider stalled and spun into the ground during the early phase of a winch launch at Long Mynd; aircraft destroyed. After a normal ground roll the glider stayed low slightly longer than usual, then pitched up sharply; at around 30 m AGL the left wing dropped and the glider rotated to the left, descending rapidly until impact ~345 m from the launch point. The pilot had 53 h total with 2 h on type. The probable cause was a larger pitch control input than appropriate during rotation, producing a rapid rotation rate; the stall was unrecoverable from the height available.

1. Winch launch, RWY 36L: A privately owned SZD-48-1 Jantar Standard 2 began a winch launch from RWY 36L at Long Mynd in a north-east wind of ~28 km/h, the winch driven by an experienced operator at standard power.
2. Larger pitch input than appropriate: After lift-off the glider stayed low longer than usual, then pitched up sharply into a steep attitude; an excessive pitch input during rotation raised the effective stall speed.
3. Stall and left wing drop ~30 m AGL: At around 30 m AGL the left wing was seen to drop in the steep nose-up attitude; the Jantar Standard 2's 1g stalling speed of ~64 km/h rises significantly with rotation rate.
4. Left rotation, rapid descent: The glider kept rotating left and descended rapidly, consistent with a spin after the stall; the winch driver braked and cut power once the launch was clearly unrecoverable.
5. Ground impact left of centreline: The glider struck the ground ~345 m from the RWY 36L threshold and ~120 m left of the centreline; the pilot died and the aircraft was destroyed. No pre-existing defect was found.