Circumstances:
The pilot was undertaking a 300 kilometre triangle cross-country task. A witness reported seeing the aircraft circling at about 400 feet above ground level (agl) before starting to fly a straight path. The aircraft was then seen to begin circling again at a much lower altitude after which it straightened up and flew in the direction of the home airfield. The glider was then observed to nose over and strike the ground without any apparent attempt at recovery. An inspection of the aircraft on site by a club official showed that the airbrakes were fully extended and the flaps were at plus ten degrees when the aircraft impacted. The pilot reportedly could not recall circling at a low altitude, but he believes that he was attempting to land prior to the accident. A probable explanation of the accident is that the pilot allowed the aircraft to stall at a height insufficient for recovery.
