This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
During my second solo flight in a Cessna 172, I was cleared for landing on Runway 5R at McGhee Tyson Airport (KTYS) in Knoxville, Tennessee.
I received ATIS Information Yankee and the conditions seemed suitable for a safe landing.
The Tower had warned me of wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft, a regional jetliner.
As I approached the runway, my landing configuration appeared to be in order.
However, upon touchdown, the aircraft began to veer left unexpectedly, which I attribute to either the wake turbulence or wind from the right side affecting my ground stability.
I attempted a corrective action using right rudder and aileron. This led to an unstable situation where the left wing dipped.
Upon correcting, I believe the right wing struck the runway and pulled the propeller down, also striking the runway.
I instantly informed the Tower of the situation. I was reminded to turn off all systems and did so. The aircraft was then towed back to the hangar.
My decision to proceed with the landing was based on the belief that the wake turbulence would be manageable. It turned out to have had a greater impact on my ground handling than anticipated.
Given that it was my second solo flight, my experience in managing the complex dynamics of wake turbulence was limited. I did attempt to correct the situation, but the turbulence effects were more severe than expected, leading to the prop strike.
Future training may need to include more comprehensive simulations or scenarios that mimic the effects of wake turbulence, allowing student pilots like me to better prepare for real-world conditions.
In hindsight, I would have slowed further in advance so that more time would have passed from the aircraft ahead of me.
Primary Problem: Ambiguous
ACN: 2039489
Interesting that this is the second instance of wake turbulence contributing to aircraft damage that I’ve heard of at KTYS. The other was the accident that killed MyGoFlight founder Charlie Schneider a few years ago. For local pilots, is this a more common occurrence at TYS than other airports?
As a solo student pilot one should aleays include, during PIC/ATC communications , a statement to that effect, i.e. “Abc tower,(approach, center, radio),Cessna 22 poopoo, STUDENT PILOT, request” …then you should receive much safer handling. Keep in mind, TYS is not a high traffic density facility and, unfortunately, they sometimes do not receive the very best quality training. I am retired FAA/ATC all options and a 3000 hr instrument and multi pilot and Be35 owner.
I got caught and tipped on my side but it went right back to level. I was following an airiiner but I really thought I was far enough back and I came in Low thinking I would be under it. It was scary but manageable. I allow plenty and add more after that. I got lucky but the law of averages will take charge sooner or later.
Comments prior to mine all seem to wanna take the pilot to the woodshed and punish him, even accusing him of not writing the report? Jeez guys, like none of you ever made any mistake and that gives you license to judge cause you’re all pilot gods?
The purpose of self reporting is to IMPROVE SAFETY… Not to lay blame and/or punish operators. This is a great report and if it helps even one pilot consider turbulence wake better, then mission accomplished.
If you encountered the wake turbulence of one of the fully loaded c17s that train out of tys it would be comparable to landing behind a 747 or an a380. Very very few pilots commenting here will ever be in that position. I’ve flown with the local flight school here after getting my PPL at FRG. The instructors would tell you if you’re renting to fly out somewhere else if the c17s are training but as a student you may not be aware of that before it’s too late. I believe the controllers need to have better awareness of this potential situation. As a solo student always be sure to let the controllers know you’re a student.
Wind from the right will make you turn right upon touchdown, not left, if not compensated with left rudder and aileron into the wind (right)
Actually it’s not a complex dynamic. Either your instructor didn’t cover wake turbulence well, to include what to do when it’s a questionable event, although your instruction manuals do, or he/she failed to comprehend you didn’t comprehend the subject well.
The latter becoming an increasing problem.
It does not seem right that after applying right rudder and aerlon that the left wing would then dip . Seem more sensible that the left wing dipped first and then after he applied right controls the right wing dropped .., the explanation was made by a student pilot after a scary/frightful event ….
It’s wake turbulence. Input whatever control you want but if the air just decides to leave a wing, that wing will drop regardless of what you’re trying to tell the aircraft to do.
Another one of life’s lessons learned. I admire the honesty of the pilot in this report. It’s a sub-category of get-there-itis. One of his 9-lives was used here. Seems like a go-around would have been prudent given the warning about wake turbulence.
Regards/J
I wonder who wrote the text for this inexperienced pilot?
👏👏👏👏👏
Did the student announce that he was a student pilot and if so the tower should not have cleared him to land in such a situation