Pilot stalls a LAK-17B FES in an abnormally steep winch-launch climb

The pilot was killed and the glider destroyed in a stall seconds after lifting off on a winch launch. Witnesses saw the glider leave the ground with the elevator fully back and pitch to a climb angle of about 70 degrees; the pilot called for more speed, but the winch was still accelerating. At 30 to 50 metres AGL the left wing stalled and the glider fell sideways to the ground. No evidence of a pre-existing defect was found, and no fault was found with the winch or its operator. The pilot had made seven winch launches in two years and had not flown the proficiency check that the lapsed currency required.

1. Winch launch: The pilot took off by winch from a valley airfield at 856 m MSL, on the centre-of-gravity hook, after five gliders had launched without incident.
2. Little recent winch practice: The pilot had made seven winch launches in the previous 24 months; the proficiency check that the insufficient currency called for was never flown.
3. Lifts off with full back stick: Witnesses saw the pilot leave the ground with the elevator fully back; the glider pitched up to a climb angle of about 70 degrees.
4. Calls for more winch speed: The pilot radioed for more speed. The winch was still in its acceleration phase, so the call could not influence the launch.
5. Left wing stalls at 30-50 m AGL: The pilot lost control as the left wing stalled. There was no evidence of an attempt to lower the nose and reduce the climb angle.
6. Sideways impact: The glider struck the ground in a sideways attitude, first with a wing and then the nose. The pilot was killed instantly and the aircraft destroyed.