Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spartanburg, South Carolina 29376
Tuesady, March 11, 2008 17:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After joining the downwind traffic pattern leg for landing on a 5,202-foot-long runway, the pilot of a Cessna 180 observed a Lear 45 taxi on to the runway for departure. As he turned the airplane on to the left base leg, he noticed that the Learjet was still on the runway. After joining the final approach leg, the Learjet started the takeoff roll and lifted off. As the pilot flared for touchdown, the accident airplane was "pushed hard" to the right, the right main landing gear touched down, then the airplane bounced and "threw to the left hard." The left wing then made ground contact, was substantially damaged, and the airplane ground-looped. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), pilots should adjust their operations and flight path as necessary to preclude serious wake encounters. When landing behind a departing larger aircraft on the same runway, they should note where the larger aircraft's rotation point was and land well before the rotation point. The AIM also states that the flight disciplines necessary to ensure vortex avoidance during visual flight rules operations must be exercised by the pilot. Vortex visualization and avoidance procedures should be exercised by the pilot using the same degree of concern as in collision avoidance and that wake turbulence may be encountered by aircraft in flight as well as when operating on the airport movement area.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's encounter with wake turbulence during approach as a result of his inadequate in-flight planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/11/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Spartanburg
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29376
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 345457N
Event Location Longitude 0815723W
Event Location Airport Spartanburg Downtown Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 801
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 964
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25126
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date Mar 11 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2009 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record grer
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Columbia, SC

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1044Y
NTSB Number NYC08TA130
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32853
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 17 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 9620
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name USDA Forest Service
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Columbia
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29221
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name South Carolina Forest Commission
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Columbia
Operator State SC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 29221
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SPA
Departure City Spartanburg
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SPA
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 1 2009 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 5202
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --