ASW 24 turns back after low weak-link break instead of landing ahead

An ASW 24 crashed during a winch launch from Brentor (Dartmoor) in strong easterly winds and rotor turbulence; the pilot was fatally injured and the glider destroyed. At ~30 m above the airfield the weak link parted. The pilot pitched nose-down then turned left to circuit back rather than land ahead — ~800 m of runway remained. Through ~90° of turn the bank reached 60°, airspeed dropped to ~94 km/h in turbulent air; the glider entered a rapid descending left turn and struck gorse-covered moorland near-vertically 14 s after the failure. Investigators cited the turnback in lieu of the available land-ahead option.

1. Winch launch climb at Brentor: Schleicher ASW 24 on a winch launch from Brentor, the second glider to launch that day. Launching had been suspended after the first glider reported severe sink, resuming an hour later.
2. Severe ridge/mountain-wave turbulence: Brentor sits in the low-level turbulent zone of a mountain wave downwind of Dartmoor. Helicopter crews reported the worst turbulence in 7 years; the earlier pilot had met severe sink.
3. Weak link parts at ~30 m AAL: The winch weak link parted at ~30 m above airfield level and ~145 km/h indicated. Wreckage analysis showed normal necking, consistent with design overload rather than metal fatigue.
4. Land-ahead option available: With half airbrake and a headwind, landing distance from the apex would be ~660 m, or ~478 m with full airbrake; runway remaining was ~800 m. Taught response: recovery then land ahead.
5. Pilot turns left to circuit back: After the pitch-down recovery, at ~85 m AAL, the pilot looked left repeatedly and never right, then rolled left into a turn, apparently to fly back to the launch area rather than land ahead.
6. Bank tightens to 60° at ~94 km/h: Through ~90° of turn the bank reached 60° in turbulent air. The nose then dropped below the horizon and the bank rolled through 80° as speed rose to ~130 km/h.
7. Crash - fatal: Impact came 14 s after the weak-link failure, on moorland north of the runway, in a near-vertical 90° left bank, nose down. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot fatally injured.