Pilot of an small aircraft encounters wake turbulence from preceding aircraft on takeoff and sinks. He turns away from the flight path and inadvertently came within 50 ft of the rotating beacon.

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Attributes
ACN	418103
Time
Date	199810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 3tr airport : 3tr
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	418103
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 other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After completing runup and checklist, I waited for the other aircraft to depart. I pulled onto the runway and departed immediately after the aircraft in front of me. The wind was from my left, approximately 10 KTS. After departure, I felt the aircraft sinking. I immediately dropped the nose and turned away from the flight path of the aircraft I was following. As my airspeed increased, I pulled the nose of the aircraft up and turned back into the wind. This allowed me to regain a positive climb rate. During pullup, I noticed that I came within approximately 50 ft of the rotating beacon. On-lookers commented on me buzzing the office, but that was not the case. Apparently, my takeoff was too soon after the aircraft in front of me, and with the crosswind and turbulence caused an abrupt loss of lift. As a result of this experience, I am a firm believer in wake turbulence, even behind a small aircraft. I was in no hurry to get anywhere, and should have waited a little longer before takeoff. This boils down to a very poor decision on my part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB FROM PRECEDING ACFT ON TKOF AND SINKS. HE TURNS AWAY FROM THE FLT PATH AND INADVERTENTLY CAME WITHIN 50 FT OF THE ROTATING BEACON.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING RUNUP AND CHKLIST, I WAITED FOR THE OTHER ACFT TO DEPART. I PULLED ONTO THE RWY AND DEPARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACFT IN FRONT OF ME. THE WIND WAS FROM MY L, APPROX 10 KTS. AFTER DEP, I FELT THE ACFT SINKING. I IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE NOSE AND TURNED AWAY FROM THE FLT PATH OF THE ACFT I WAS FOLLOWING. AS MY AIRSPD INCREASED, I PULLED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT UP AND TURNED BACK INTO THE WIND. THIS ALLOWED ME TO REGAIN A POSITIVE CLB RATE. DURING PULLUP, I NOTICED THAT I CAME WITHIN APPROX 50 FT OF THE ROTATING BEACON. ON-LOOKERS COMMENTED ON ME BUZZING THE OFFICE, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. APPARENTLY, MY TKOF WAS TOO SOON AFTER THE ACFT IN FRONT OF ME, AND WITH THE XWIND AND TURB CAUSED AN ABRUPT LOSS OF LIFT. AS A RESULT OF THIS EXPERIENCE, I AM A FIRM BELIEVER IN WAKE TURB, EVEN BEHIND A SMALL ACFT. I WAS IN NO HURRY TO GET ANYWHERE, AND SHOULD HAVE WAITED A LITTLE LONGER BEFORE TKOF. THIS BOILS DOWN TO A VERY POOR DECISION ON MY PART.

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.