BE55 LNDG LAX ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB FROM B737.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING MY BARON 55C ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM SBA TO LAX. I HAD FILED THE FLT PLAN BEFORE THE FLT; RATHER THAN USE A TWR ENRTE CLRNC; BECAUSE THE FSS SPECIALIST HAD SAID IT'S BETTER FOR THE CTLR SYS. IT WAS VISUAL DUSK/EVENING TRIP; LESS THAN 1/2 HR FROM SBA. WHEN DOWNWIND; THE APCH CTLR TOLD ME WHICH RWY TO EXPECT. THE NEXT CTLR WAITED UNTIL I HAD A B737 IN SIGHT AND SAID FOLLOW HIM AND CLRED TO LAND; CAUTION WAKE TURB. ON BASE; I HIT THE WAKE TURB OF AN AIRPLANE (THE B737?). IT WAS THE MOST VIOLENT EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD; INCLUDING AEROBATIC CLASSES YRS AGO. IT WAS LIKE HITTING A SOLID WALL; AND THE AIRPLANE HAD THE WING IN A NEAR VERT POS. I SLAMMED INTO THE ROOF OF MY AIRPLANE; ALL PAPERS AND DIET COKE WENT EVERYWHERE. I WAS A LITTLE DAZED FROM THE IMPACT TO THE ROOF BY MY HEAD. THEN I HAD A SECOND SMALLER; BUT VIOLENT IMPACT WITH A POCKET OF WAKE TURB. MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS TO GET THE AIRPLANE SAFELY ON THE GND; AND I HOPED EVERYTHING WAS STILL WORKING (I KNEW MY LNDG GEAR WAS ALREADY DOWN). I MUST HAVE BEEN SO OUT OF IT AND SHAKEN; THAT I HAD KEPT THE MIKE OPEN AS THE TWR CAME ON AND SAID I HAD A STUCK MIKE FOR THE LAST MI. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID AFTER THIS; BUT JUST FOCUSED ON LNDG ON THE RWY IN FRONT OF ME; GIVEN MY LOW ALT AND EVERYTHING HANGING OUT (FLAPS AND GEAR). I SAID A LITTLE THANK YOU TO GOD FOR THE SAFE LNDG; AND THE FOG WAS LIFTING FROM MY BRAIN. THE TWR TOLD ME TO COPY DOWN A NUMBER; AND I WAS ESCORTED BY POLICE; LIGHTS FLASHING; TO FBO. I REALLY DIDN'T NEED ANY MORE STRESS; BUT I GUESS THAT IS THEIR JOB. I SHUT THE ENGS DOWN; SHAKING LIKE A LEAF; GOT OUT OF THE AIRPLANE; AND WENT TO THE POLICE ESCORT; WHO ASKED ME TO BE SURE AND CALL THE CTLR. I DID THIS; AND TO BE HONEST; I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE CONVERSATION; AS I WAS STILL SHAKING. IT TOOK ME MANY TIMES TO DIAL THE PHONE; BECAUSE MY HANDS WERE NOT VERY STEADY. HE FINALLY SAID HE COULD HEAR I WAS VERY UPSET; AND LET ME OFF THE PHONE. I TRIED TO BE COHERENT; BUT I JUST COULDN'T GET MY BRAIN TO UNDERSTAND HIS QUESTIONS. I CAME BACK A COUPLE HRS LATER; DID A VERY LONG PREFLT; AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK; AND I RECEIVED A CLRNC; TOOK OFF; AND FLEW BACK TO SBA. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE FLOWN INTO LAX MANY TIMES OVER THE YRS; AND THIS WAS A VFR NIGHT; AND VERY LITTLE TFC COMPARED TO PREVIOUS FLTS INTO THE ARPT. IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN EASIER; AND EVERYTHING WAS VERY ROUTINE UNTIL I HIT THE WALL OF TURB. I THOUGHT I WAS COMING IN HIGH ENOUGH TO AVOID ANY PROB FROM THE B737; BUT I HIT IT OR ANOTHER AIRPLANE'S SEVERE WAKE TURB. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LITTLE BEFORE OVER THE YRS; BUT THIS WAS INCREDIBLE. EVEN WITH MY SEATBELT VERY TIGHT (I ALWAYS DO THIS WHEN LNDG AT A LARGER ARPT); IT WAS LIKE I HAD NO SEATBELT ON AT ALL WHEN I HIT THE CEILING. LATER; I FELT A GOOD SIZED BUMP; BUT NO BLOOD ON MY HEAD. I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROB OTHER THAN A LONG FINAL APCH; RATHER THAN WHAT I FLEW; SO ANY TURB FROM THE B737 OR OTHER AIRPLANES WOULD BE GONE.