N5074J
CESSNA 310R
AN FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND INTERVIEWED WITNESSES AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10 AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 7 ABOUT ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF. THEY SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF FROM AN INTERSECTION ON RUNWAY 7, ABOUT 2,700 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE DC-10 WAS LIFTING OFF THE GROUND. THEY FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 TO 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND; BANKED ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT; CORRECTED TO ABOUT A 30 DEGREE RIGHT BANK; AND THEN 'SNAPPED' 120 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE WITNESSES STATED THEY BELIEVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE DEPARTING DC-10.
THE PILOT NOT FOLLOWING WAKE TURBULENCE (VOTEX) AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES, WHICH ARE DETAILED IN FAA PUBLICATIONS, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE, AND 2) INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY FROM THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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