Unconnected ailerons cost a Kestrel H401 its roll control in the circuit

A pilot was seriously injured and the Kestrel H401 destroyed on a local flight from Zeltweg. It had been rigged days earlier and left in the hangar with both aileron quick-connects unmade. Working alone, the pilot ran a preflight that skipped the aileron connections; the stick moved the ailerons anyway. A control problem showed up on tow and the pilot released downwind; airbrake made it worse and only left turns worked. The nose dropped in a turn that could not be rolled out, and the glider hit the airfield. The type's approved automatic-connection retrofit was not fitted.

1. Rigged days before the flight: Club members rigged the glider a few days earlier and hung it in the club hangar for a later flight. The pilot was not present.
2. Aileron connections left unmade: Both aileron quick-connects at the wing root were left unconnected when the glider was rigged, hanging loose on their retaining cords.
3. Preflight misses the wing root: Working alone, the pilot lowered the glider from the hangar ceiling and ran the required preflight check but did not check the aileron connections at the wing root.
4. Stick check gives no warning: At the preflight check and again just before takeoff, the ailerons moved when the stick was moved, so nothing pointed to the open connections.
5. Control problem after the launch: On the downwind leg after an aerotow from RWY 26R, the pilot noticed a control problem and released. Airbrake deployment made it worse, and right turns proved impossible.
6. Nose drops in the left turn: The pilot gave up the approach to the grass runway and turned left; the nose dropped, the turn could not be rolled out, and the glider hit the airfield hard and slid into a fence.