What happened
On June 7, 2015, at 13:33 local time, an Alexander Schleicher ASW 19 b glider was performing a winch launch from runway 01 at the Pinnow glider airfield. During the takeoff roll, the right wing of the aircraft made contact with the ground. The wing became entangled in vegetation approximately 40 cm in height, which caused the fuselage to lift. This interaction triggered a roll around the longitudinal axis, resulting in the aircraft impacting the ground in an inverted position.
The aircraft came to rest approximately 139 meters from the start point, rotated about 30 degrees from the takeoff heading, and was positioned roughly 20 meters east of the winch cable path. The impact caused extensive damage to the airframe, including fractures in the cockpit area and the breakage of the nose section. The pilot sustained serious injuries during the accident.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the takeoff area to determine the sequence of events. The investigation noted that while the immediate takeoff area was kept short, the vegetation just beyond the 40-meter mark reached a height of approximately 40 cm. The aircraft, which had a total time in service of 1,332 hours, was found with the landing gear extended and trim in a neutral position. No mechanical failures or control deficiencies were identified in the aircraft's systems prior to the impact.