Pilot encounters wake turbulence during takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	551240
Time
Date	200206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jfk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 580 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	551240
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : regained aircraft control none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I lined up behind a yak-50 and took off less than 10 seconds after the yak applied full throttle. Approximately 100 ft into my takeoff roll, I believe I encountered wake turbulence. Though I was applying full left rudder, aircraft veered hard right off the runway and toward a ramp area, hangar and refueling pump. At that point, pulling throttle and applying full brakes would not have prevented me from hitting the obstructions. Therefore, I pulled full back on the stick. The plane lifted off, missing all obstructions. No one was injured and no damage was done. In hindsight, perhaps I should have intentionally ground looped the aircraft to avoid the ramp/hangar area, but given the aircraft's ability to take off at slow speeds after a short takeoff roll, I opted to encourage the plane to fly. I should not have taken off so close behind another aircraft and will not allow that to happen again. My decision to take off so close behind the other departing aircraft came very close to causing serious damage and injury.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB DURING TKOF.

Narrative: I LINED UP BEHIND A YAK-50 AND TOOK OFF LESS THAN 10 SECONDS AFTER THE YAK APPLIED FULL THROTTLE. APPROX 100 FT INTO MY TKOF ROLL, I BELIEVE I ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB. THOUGH I WAS APPLYING FULL L RUDDER, ACFT VEERED HARD R OFF THE RWY AND TOWARD A RAMP AREA, HANGAR AND REFUELING PUMP. AT THAT POINT, PULLING THROTTLE AND APPLYING FULL BRAKES WOULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM HITTING THE OBSTRUCTIONS. THEREFORE, I PULLED FULL BACK ON THE STICK. THE PLANE LIFTED OFF, MISSING ALL OBSTRUCTIONS. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO DAMAGE WAS DONE. IN HINDSIGHT, PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE INTENTIONALLY GND LOOPED THE ACFT TO AVOID THE RAMP/HANGAR AREA, BUT GIVEN THE ACFT'S ABILITY TO TAKE OFF AT SLOW SPDS AFTER A SHORT TKOF ROLL, I OPTED TO ENCOURAGE THE PLANE TO FLY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN OFF SO CLOSE BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT AND WILL NOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. MY DECISION TO TAKE OFF SO CLOSE BEHIND THE OTHER DEPARTING ACFT CAME VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE AND INJURY.

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.