A wake encounter during the landing flare by a C172 results in a runway excursion and wingtip damage...

Attributes
ACN	802576
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 44.3 flight time total : 83.4 flight time type : 83.4
ASRS Report	802576
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway inflight encounter : wake turbulence other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

I was cleared for normal landing at runway 27R. When I got down and just about to flare; I experienced wake turbulence. The airplane drifted to the left. I tried to make a go around by applying full power. Then the airplane drifted to the right and I was heading straight down against runway. Reduced power and tried to pitch up. Then right wing hit the ground and airplane turned. I jumped over the grass and touched down on taxiway in a 90 degree angle towards taxiway. Put flaps up and applied full brakes. Airplane stopped between hangar and another bldg. Got no warning regarding wake turbulence.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that the wake was from a helicopter making a landing on a parallel taxiway. It was apparently making an approach from above and behind and was not reported to or seen by the reporter at the time of the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WAKE ENCOUNTER DURING THE LNDG FLARE BY A C172 RESULTS IN A RWY EXCURSION AND WINGTIP DAMAGE.

Narrative: I WAS CLEARED FOR NORMAL LNDG AT RWY 27R. WHEN I GOT DOWN AND JUST ABOUT TO FLARE; I EXPERIENCED WAKE TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE L. I TRIED TO MAKE A GAR BY APPLYING FULL POWER. THEN THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE R AND I WAS HEADING STRAIGHT DOWN AGAINST RWY. REDUCED POWER AND TRIED TO PITCH UP. THEN R WING HIT THE GND AND AIRPLANE TURNED. I JUMPED OVER THE GRASS AND TOUCHED DOWN ON TXWY IN A 90 DEG ANGLE TOWARDS TXWY. PUT FLAPS UP AND APPLIED FULL BRAKES. AIRPLANE STOPPED BETWEEN HANGAR AND ANOTHER BLDG. GOT NO WARNING REGARDING WAKE TURBULENCE.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER SAID THAT THE WAKE WAS FROM A HELICOPTER MAKING A LANDING ON A PARALLEL TXWY. IT WAS APPARENTLY MAKING AN APPROACH FROM ABOVE AND BEHIND AND WAS NOT REPORTED TO OR SEEN BY THE REPORTER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.