What happened
During arrival procedures for runway 19R, three aircraft—a Beechcraft, a Boeing 757, and an Israel Westwind—were being vectored for landing. The sequence was organized such that the Boeing 757 and the Westwind were performing visual approaches following the Beechcraft. Prior to receiving clearance for the visual approach, the Westwind was on a converging path, closing the distance to the Boeing 757 by 3.5 miles.
Air traffic control instructed both the Boeing 757 and the Westwind to reduce speed to 150 knots. The Boeing 757 slowed to a speed below 150 knots and maintained a steep 5.6° descent angle while remaining high on the final approach. Meanwhile, the Westwind continued to close the gap, reaching a distance of approximately 2.1 miles behind the larger aircraft on a 3° approach path.
As the Westwind descended through roughly 1,100 feet MSL, the aircraft encountered wake turbulence generated by the Boeing 757. This encounter caused the aircraft to roll into a steep descent, resulting in a crash. There were no survivors reported in the accident.
Findings
Investigation into the accident revealed several contributing factors. The crew of the Westwind had not been specifically notified by air traffic control that they were following a Boeing 757. While the pilot had discussed the potential for wake turbulence with the crew, they ultimately determined the risk was minimal.
Additionally, the investigation noted that the crew lacked specialized training regarding wake turbulence encounters. Post-accident analysis of the pilot's lung tissue also detected the presence of chlorpheniramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine, at a concentration of 0.094 ug/ml.