Ka 8B student loses control in steep turn back to runway after cable break at 90 m

A student pilot was fatally injured when he lost control and the Ka 8B struck the runway edge in a steep, low turn back to RWY 11 after the winch cable broke at 90-100 m AGL; aircraft destroyed. ~1,700 m of runway lay ahead, but the student turned back instead; at 50-60 m AGL and ~60° bank, airspeed bled off, the descent steepened and the right wingtip caught the runway edge — the wing broke off and the glider tumbled. The cable was worn — repaired at 10 spots with crimp sleeves — and tested at 6.30 kN, 37% below the 10 kN minimum. The instructor candidate had never trained this student in cable break; the supervising instructor was absent.

1. Solo student on practical-exam prep: Student (107 winch launches, 7 prior cable breaks including 2 solo) at Ambri (LSPM); 4th launch of the day on practical-exam prep; SE 6-10 kt; weak link 6 kN.
2. Worn cable below minimum strength: The winch cable had ten repaired spots and ten more frayed points; bench-tested at 6.3 kN, 37% below the 10 kN minimum required, with a damaged cable eye noted before launch.
3. Inadequate supervision; no drill done: The instructor candidate had a provisional permit and limited recent supervision; he had never practiced a cable break with this particular student, though other instructors had.
4. Cable breaks at 90-100 m AGL on takeoff: During the winch launch the cable parted ~150 m past the reference point at 90-100 m AGL; student pushed forward correctly and released; ~1,700 m of RWY 11 lay ahead.
5. Turns right to return, not land ahead: Rather than continuing straight, the student turned right toward RWY 11; short of the threshold at 50-60 m AGL he began a second right turn, and crosswind pushed him north of centerline.
6. ~60° bank + low speed; wingtip strike: To regain the runway axis the bank steepened to ~60°, airspeed bled off and the glider descended steeply; the right wingtip caught the runway edge, the wing broke off and the glider tumbled.
7. Severe head injuries; fatal: The student, conscious but severely injured, was airlifted to hospital and died of unsurvivable injuries. The aircraft was destroyed; no technical defect was found, mass/CG within limits.