Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The student pilot's failure to avoid wake turbulence while landing behind a heavy jet airplane, which resulted in a loss of roll control and subsequent hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The solo student pilot reported that, while in the airport traffic pattern, she was instructed by air traffic control to follow a heavy jet airplane. She located the heavy jet airplane and confirmed with tower she was cleared to land number two, with a caution for wake turbulence. As she maintained a final approach to land "past the numbers" and prepared for the landing flare, the wings suddenly rolled right, and the nose dropped. She attempted to correct, but the airplane landed hard, skidded off the runway, and nosed over.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, lift struts, and empennage.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC20CA034