Discus-2cT stalls in a tight circle below summit level

A pilot was killed and the glider destroyed when it stalled while circling close to a mountainside near Zederhaus and struck rock. Four and a half hours into a cross-country from Bavaria, homeward bound, the pilot worked lift at about 100 m AGL, sustainer stowed. The pilot turned right, climbed to roughly 2350 m MSL, and held the turn towards steeply rising terrain. Less than half way round the first circle the glider had a tailwind and began to sink below the surrounding summits. The pilot tightened the radius and pulled back to avoid the terrain; holding height in the steeper turn stalled the glider, with too little height left to recover.

1. Alpine cross-country, homeward leg: The pilot had been airborne about four and a half hours on a cross-country from Bavaria across the Tyrolean and Salzburg Alps, and was heading north-west from the southern turnpoint.
2. 58 hours in two years: The pilot held about 711 flying hours in total but had flown 58 hours on 34 launches in the previous two years; the investigation rated the training state as moderate.
3. Working lift at 100 m AGL: The pilot tried to climb in a lift area at about 100 m AGL, apparently in relatively tight circles, with the sustainer stowed.
4. Turn held towards rising terrain: The pilot turned right and climbed to roughly 2350 m MSL, then held the turn, which pointed the glider at steeply rising ground.
5. Tailwind, sinking below the summits: Less than half way round the first full circle the glider had a tailwind and began to sink, dropping below the level of the surrounding summits.
6. Stall and impact with rock: The pilot tightened the radius and pulled back to avoid the terrain. Holding height in the steeper turn stalled the glider; too little height remained and it struck rock. The pilot was killed.