Ventus-2cT lands hard downwind after a failed sustainer start

The pilot was seriously injured and the Ventus-2cT substantially damaged in a hard outlanding. Out of lift on a northbound cross-country, he picked a meadow and extended the sustainer about 175 m above it; the manual advises against start attempts below 300 m, so a failed one still leaves height to plan the landing. Two attempts failed and, 50 to 60 m lower, he flew on with the engine extended and stopped, which cuts the glide ratio to 22. He committed to the landing about 100 m up, downwind, with a road, trees and bushes to cross. The glider mushed, struck them and hit the ground hard; the unlocked gear folded and the canopy broke.

1. Northbound cross-country: The pilot aerotowed from Lanzen-Turnau and worked north, but the thermals proved weaker than the forecast had suggested.
2. Out of lift over the Lassing valley: About 35 km north of the departure field he ran out of usable lift at roughly 1 000 m MSL and picked an outlanding meadow.
3. Sustainer out below the manual height: He extended the engine about 175 m above the meadow; the manual advises against start attempts below 300 m.
4. Two start attempts fail: Two attempts to start the engine failed, and he broke them off after a further 50 to 60 m of height loss.
5. On to the meadow with the engine out: He flew on with the engine extended and stopped, which cuts the glide ratio to 22, and committed to the landing about 100 m above the meadow.
6. Mushes over the obstacles: The downwind final crossed a road, trees and bushes at low speed; the glider mushed, struck them and hit the ground hard, the unlocked gear folding on impact.