Centrair Alliance stalls in a low turn to avoid trees short of the runway

The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger slightly hurt when the glider stalled in a low turn and struck a field short of the runway. Returning after two hours, the pilot joined the circuit about 190 metres above ground, lower than the 250 estimated, and extended downwind for an aeroplane on final. Turning base brought a drift to the east stronger than expected and sink of up to 2.5 m/s in the lee of a landfill. With neither the runway nor a safe crossing of a tree line 500 metres short of it within reach, the pilot turned right near the ground to avoid the trees; the speed fell below the minimum and the glider dropped nose-first.

1. Circuit joined low: After two hours the pilot joined the downwind for runway 29 at about 190 metres above ground, judging the height to be about 250 metres.
2. No outlanding practice in training: The pilot had never practised an outlanding, on board or otherwise. The syllabus in force provided no outlanding exercises in the practical course.
3. Downwind extended for traffic: An aeroplane was on final for the same runway, seen but not heard on the radio, and the pilot extended the downwind leg to keep separation.
4. Drift and sink on base: Turning base brought a drift to the east stronger than expected, and sink of up to 2.5 m/s in the lee of a landfill lying in a hollow north of the runway.
5. Runway and tree line unreachable: On final it became clear that neither runway 29 nor a safe crossing of a tree line 500 metres short of it could be made.
6. Stall in the avoiding turn: The pilot turned right near the ground to miss the trees. The speed fell below the minimum, the glider stalled and hit a field nose-first. The pilot was seriously injured, the passenger slightly.