Small aircraft wake turbulence encounter.

Attributes
ACN	296060
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : myl
State Reference	ID
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 65
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skywagon 185
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skywagon 185
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	296060
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We took off as the third airplane in a flight of 3. The first airplane was loaded to about 2500 pounds. The second airplane was near gross weight of 3350 pounds, my airplane was third, weighing about 2700 pounds. Takeoff was normal, breaking ground in about 1000 ft. We began to climb at between 85-90 mph and reached an altitude of about 65 ft when the right wing dropped violently and the nose dropped making the airplane turn 90 degrees to the right. I used full left rudder and aileron and up elevator to counteract the forces on the aircraft. We landed about 200 ft from the runway shearing both landing gear. Wake turbulence caused this to happen. I have always been taught to only associate wake turbulence with large aircraft (ie, 727-757) but the danger is very real when following heavily loaded single engine aircraft. I think GA pilots need to know that wake turbulence can be present no matter what size aircraft they are following. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he had no idea that 2 small aircraft could produce such an amount of wake turbulence. He further states that he will never attempt a takeoff as a flight again. Reporter also participated in the ASRS callback questionnaire program. He hopes that information will be useful to other pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMALL ACFT WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF AS THE THIRD AIRPLANE IN A FLT OF 3. THE FIRST AIRPLANE WAS LOADED TO ABOUT 2500 LBS. THE SECOND AIRPLANE WAS NEAR GROSS WT OF 3350 LBS, MY AIRPLANE WAS THIRD, WEIGHING ABOUT 2700 LBS. TKOF WAS NORMAL, BREAKING GND IN ABOUT 1000 FT. WE BEGAN TO CLB AT BTWN 85-90 MPH AND REACHED AN ALT OF ABOUT 65 FT WHEN THE R WING DROPPED VIOLENTLY AND THE NOSE DROPPED MAKING THE AIRPLANE TURN 90 DEGS TO THE R. I USED FULL L RUDDER AND AILERON AND UP ELEVATOR TO COUNTERACT THE FORCES ON THE ACFT. WE LANDED ABOUT 200 FT FROM THE RWY SHEARING BOTH LNDG GEAR. WAKE TURB CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TAUGHT TO ONLY ASSOCIATE WAKE TURB WITH LARGE ACFT (IE, 727-757) BUT THE DANGER IS VERY REAL WHEN FOLLOWING HEAVILY LOADED SINGLE ENG ACFT. I THINK GA PLTS NEED TO KNOW THAT WAKE TURB CAN BE PRESENT NO MATTER WHAT SIZE ACFT THEY ARE FOLLOWING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE HAD NO IDEA THAT 2 SMALL ACFT COULD PRODUCE SUCH AN AMOUNT OF WAKE TURB. HE FURTHER STATES THAT HE WILL NEVER ATTEMPT A TKOF AS A FLT AGAIN. RPTR ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE ASRS CALLBACK QUESTIONNAIRE PROGRAM. HE HOPES THAT INFO WILL BE USEFUL TO OTHER PLTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.