Centrair 201 stalls on reverse-direction landing after winch cable break

A Centrair 201-B 'Marianne' was destroyed in a reverse-direction landing at Graulhet-Montdragon; the two occupants were uninjured. On a winch launch the cable broke at ~80 m AGL (rupture mode not determined). After release and pitch-down (100 to 70 km/h, slow to recover), the pilot judged land-ahead infeasible and chose a 180° turnback. The glider drifted north, met sink, and ended too low for the grass runway. On flare for the paved runway there was no control response; the glider stalled, struck the ground, and slid ~100 m, breaking the fuselage. Investigators cited the turnback rather than land-ahead, with slow speed recovery contributing.

1. Dual winch launch from runway 27: A Centrair 201-B glider with a passenger launched by winch from unpaved runway 27 at Graulhet-Montdragon. Wind was 330°/6 kt gusting 12 kt; helicopters were parked at the edge.
2. Cable breaks at ~80 m AGL: During the initial climb at ~80 m AGL, the winch cable suddenly ruptured. The rope broke 130 mm from the glider-side knot; the rupture mode was not determined.
3. Release, pitch down (100→70 km/h): The pilot immediately released the cable and pitched down to regain speed. Airspeed dropped from about 100 km/h to about 70 km/h, and the pilot reported the speed recovery felt very long.
4. Slow speed recovery, drifted north: During the recovery the glider drifted north of the runway axis. The pilot judged too little runway ahead, too much height for the field beyond, too little for a shortened circuit.
5. 180° turn to land reverse direction: The pilot continued the offset and turned back toward the airfield to land in reverse. Guidance recommends landing straight below 100 m; the release height was near that limit.
6. Sink encountered, too low for grass: During the turn back, the pilot briefly deployed the airbrakes, then retracted them. While perpendicular to the runway, the glider encountered sink and was too low for the grass.
7. Flare on paved runway, control lost: Pilot redirected to the paved runway. On the flare felt a lack of control response and had no time to monitor airspeed. Glider likely stalled close to the ground.
8. Glider stalls, slides 100 m: The glider touched down on the main wheel and left wing, and slid about 100 m toward the parking area; the fuselage broke. The aircraft was destroyed, with no injuries to the two occupants.