Standard Cirrus strikes a rock face while circling tight to an alpine ridge

The pilot of a Standard Cirrus was fatally injured when the glider struck a rock face while circling close to a ridge near the Olmenhorn; aircraft destroyed. On a private flight from Münster, the pilot released from aerotow at ~2500 m MSL. Ridge lift was unusable, so the only climb was a narrow thermal core over the crest, needing high bank and speed. The pilot circled tight above the rock, ~200 m below another glider; in a steep turn the right wing struck an outcrop mid-span and tore off, and the glider was flung ~50 m down the scree. No technical, weather or medical fault was found; the probable cause was circling too close to the terrain.

1. Aerotow local flight: The pilot launched by aerotow from Münster for a local training flight and released over the Blinnental at about 2500 m in strong thermals.
2. Mountain thermal soaring: The pilot proceeded to soar in alpine terrain, later thermaling near the Strahlhorn and then towards the Olmenhorn in an area known for demanding mountain flying.
3. Very narrow thermal: At the Olmenhorn the usable thermal core was very narrow, requiring high bank angles and increased airspeed to remain in the lift close to steep, rocky terrain.
4. Tight circling near slope: While thermaling about 200 m below another glider, the pilot began tight left-hand circles in the narrow thermal directly above a steep, jagged rock face on the Olmenhorn southwest ridge.
5. Continued close-in turns: The pilot continued to circle several times in close proximity to the terrain instead of increasing clearance from the rock outcrops.
6. Wing hits rock outcrop: In a high-bank turn the glider’s right wing mid-span struck a protruding rocky promontory, tearing off the outer wing section and destroying the wing center section.
7. Crash - fatal: Following the wing strike the glider was catapulted into the slope and broke up on the steep rock and scree, fatally injuring the pilot and destroying the aircraft.