CRJ-900 flight crew reported a sudden significant speed drop shortly after takeoff; with a wind shear warning displayed. Reporter stated it might have been wake turbulence that caused the event.
Synopsis
CRJ-900 flight crew reported a sudden significant speed drop shortly after takeoff; with a wind shear warning displayed. Reporter stated it might have been wake turbulence that caused the event.
Narrative
Immediately after takeoff from CHS; I began to pitch for V2+10. We got the gear up; and then all of a sudden the speed began to drop like a rock. It almost instantly dropped well below V2; and I smoothly dumped the nose to try and regain speed. Within a second or two; wind shear posted and we got the eyebrows. At some point during those last few seconds; I also firewalled the throttles. I pitched for the flight director and my FO called out altitudes and rates. Within about 10 seconds; we were out of the event and began to return to normal operations and clean up the jet.Cause: The winds were light; 3 knots; with no reported LLWS. A jet had taken off prior to us; within the last 2 minutes or so; so the best I can assess is that we hit their wake. The odd thing is how smooth it was. There was no associated turbulence; just an extremely quick loss of performance. At first I wondered if we had lost the engines because the performance loss was so abrupt; and due to no associated turbulence.I have no suggestions due to such an odd occurrence. Never in my career have I experienced such an odd event without any associated signs that it was coming; or that it was even a potential. I am thankful for our wind shear escape maneuver training and that we have a wind shear warning on the jet. I felt in control during the event and it was due to my comfort with the maneuver after having experienced it in the sim enough.
Second reporter narrative
The Captain rotated off of Rwy 33 preparing to complete the PLMTO3 RNAV departure and received a windshear warning event. I will use PF for the Captain. current conditions: winds 030 at 3 altimeter setting 30.26following Aircraft Y headed to ZZZ. 2 minutes was given between takeoffs stated PFPM - calls 'v1' - then few seconds later 'rotate'PF - rotates (later in the flight both of us noted how smooth the rotation was due to smooth air.PM - calls 'positive rate'PF - 'gear up; speed mode; nav mode'PM - I select gear up; then select speed mode on the FCP and note that the lights didn't illuminate and the button didn't feel like it clicked. I selected it again and saw the lights and then selected NAV. I then looked at the FMA (Flight Mode Annunciator) to make sure I see climb over NAV and I see IAS over NAV; I then reach up to select speed mode again which puts us into pitch mode; then click it one more time to put us into speed mode. PM - within a few seconds I hear PF make a statement of surprise and I look at the attitude indicator and see he is pitching down; I then look at the altimeter and see the altitude stagnate at 500MSL (roughly 450 AGL). Before I have a moment to make him aware we are leveling at 500 and not at flap retraction altitude I hear the windshear audio and see a red WINDSHEAR appear on my PFDs (Primary Flight Display).----Windshear event begins----PM - calls 'windshear'PF - calls 'set max thrust'PM - makes sure its set and begins helping PF by calling aircraft statePM - calls 'climbing 500 fpm; airspeed increasing'I cannot remember what airspeed I saw; but I remember it being inside or just above the bug (v2+10). The guidance from the flight director didn't move much and kept us fairly level from what I remember. there wasn't any sort of wild pitching direction given like in the simulator.CHS Tower - tells us to switch to departurePF - 'tell him we are responding to a windshear event'PM - responds in kind----windshear event ends----There were no bumps. There wasn't even light turbulence. It felt like a beautiful morning takeoff. PF stated that we were at v2+10 or so; then out of nowhere the speed dropped to v2-10 to -15 rapidly so he leveled the pitch and added thrust. I did not see the decline in airspeed as I was focused elsewhere when it happened.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.