A student pilot lost her orientation after a winch launch in Bayreuth on 4 August 2023 and had a serious accident during the outlanding, causing considerable damage to the Grob G 102 Club Astir III b glider.
After releasing at an altitude of around 400 m and performing several manoeuvres, including a full circle and a figure of eight, she decided to make an off-field landing due to the loss of orientation and the low altitude. The landing took place on sloping terrain, with the glider crossing a ditch and coming to an abrupt stop on its embankment. The 51-year-old student pilot, who had been in training since 2017 and had 64 flying hours of experience, was seriously injured. The student pilot had already gained experience at Bayreuth airfield before the accident flight, but had not yet received instruction on cross-country flights and off-field landings.
Source references:
Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation