On 24 Sep 2015, a PIPER PA 28 161 operated by SKYWARD AVIATION INC was involved in an aviation accident near Van Nuys, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to compensate for turbulence during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and runway excursion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot reported encountering wake turbulence from a hovering helicopter during the landing flare, leading to a hard landing, runway excursion, and collision with a runway sign.
Incident Details
A student pilot reported that during the landing flare, the airplane was "hit with the first blast of wake turbulence" from a helicopter that was hovering on a helipad located to the left of the runway. The airplane subsequently landed hard, exited the runway to the right, and collided with a runway sign.
Weather Conditions
According to the Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at the airport, the temperature was 99 degrees Fahrenheit, and the wind was variable at 4 knots.
Location
The helicopter pad was located over 400 feet to the east of the location where the pilot reported encountering the blast of wake turbulence.
Contributing factors
PilotLanding flare — Not attained/maintainedLateral/bank control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation