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A be-55 pilot reported a wake vortex encounter while on approach to lou from an air-taxiing helicopter; resulting in a temporary loss of control.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 994874 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201201 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | LOU.Airport |
| State Reference | KY |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Baron 55/Cochise |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Vectors Visual Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Single Pilot |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Commercial |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 18 Flight Crew Total 527 Flight Crew Type 47 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control |
Narrative:
While I was 5 miles out on IFR plan on approach to runway 24 at lou a helicopter was cleared to cross the path to runway 24. The helicopter asked bowman tower twice if they were sure that they were cleared to cross the runway. I didn't think anything about it myself. At 200 ft from ground on final; my plane had forces that felt like the entire plane was pushed down. Then I had a violent 45 degree pitch to the left and stall horn going off. I pushed the nose over thinking it was wind shear on approach. I leveled out and gained control of the plane. Within seconds my plane was in a 45 degree bank to the right. At this point I executed full power and a go-around. After regaining composure and flight attitude I noted to the tower that I believed I had flown into wake turbulence from the helicopter that was still taxiing to the FBO. No reply came from tower. A second radio operator queried the tower if I had stated the wake turbulence caused the issue. A controller answered that I had stated that; but he had just came on and was not in position to see my plane. The lineman on the ground stated that he was looking for a place to run based on the visuals he saw of my plane coming pitched down toward the FBO.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE-55 pilot reported a wake vortex encounter while on approach to LOU from an air-taxiing helicopter; resulting in a temporary loss of control.
Narrative: While I was 5 miles out on IFR plan on approach to Runway 24 at LOU a helicopter was cleared to cross the path to Runway 24. The helicopter asked Bowman Tower twice if they were sure that they were cleared to cross the runway. I didn't think anything about it myself. At 200 FT from ground on final; my plane had forces that felt like the entire plane was pushed down. Then I had a violent 45 degree pitch to the left and stall horn going off. I pushed the nose over thinking it was wind shear on approach. I leveled out and gained control of the plane. Within seconds my plane was in a 45 degree bank to the RIGHT. At this point I executed full power and a go-around. After regaining composure and flight attitude I noted to the Tower that I believed I had flown into wake turbulence from the helicopter that was still taxiing to the FBO. No reply came from Tower. A second radio operator queried the Tower if I had stated the wake turbulence caused the issue. A Controller answered that I had stated that; but he had just came on and was not in position to see my plane. The lineman on the ground stated that he was looking for a place to run based on the visuals he saw of my plane coming pitched down toward the FBO.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.