Incident Details
While on the downwind leg for landing, a solo student pilot flying a Cessna 152 was directed by the air traffic controller to a Boeing 757 that was ahead on the parallel runway. The threshold of the parallel runway is located abeam and 500 feet to the right of the intended landing runway. The controller then informed the student of a 10-knot quartering headwind from the right, issued a wake turbulence precaution, and cleared the student for the landing option.
Witness Reports and Crash
Witnesses observed the student on final approach, descending through approximately 100 feet above ground level (AGL), when the aircraft abruptly rolled inverted and crashed short of the runway threshold.
Investigation Findings
The Safety Board conducted a Study of Wake Turbulence Encounter using data from the Boeing 757's flight data recorder, tower communication tapes, and tower-reported surface winds. The report concluded that the Cessna 152 descended into the Boeing 757's wake, which was 37 to 41 seconds old at the time of the encounter.
Pilot Background
The student's flight instructor informed the Safety Board that the student had accumulated 136 hours of dual instruction and 20 hours of solo flight time. The student had received instruction in wake turbulence avoidance at three points during ground instruction. Additionally, the instructor noted that training at the air carrier airport frequently involved wake turbulence avoidance.