Event LAX02LA230

Factual narrative

On July 18, 2002, about 0949 mountain standard time, a Violet Dragonfly, N48RV, departed from controlled flight and impacted terrain following a wake turbulence encounter on approach to the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona. The homebuilt experimental airplane was destroyed. The private pilot/airplane owner received minor injuries, and the pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operating in visual meteorological conditions under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The personal flight originated from near El Paso, Texas, about 2.8 hours earlier, about 0800 mountain daylight time. The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that while he was on the downwind leg to runway 11R, he had observed a McDonnell Douglas MD80 on final approach to runway 11L. The pilot indicated that he extended his downwind leg to provide for additional separation between his airplane and the MD80. The MD80 landed on runway 11L. According to the pilot, he proceeded inbound to runway 11R and descended between 50 and 75 feet above the ground. At that altitude, his airplane suddenly rolled into a near vertical left bank. Thereafter, control was totally lost, the pitch attitude decreased, and the airplane impacted the ground. No mechanical malfunctions were experienced with the airplane's flight control system during the flight. The pilot also stated that he believes he encountered wake turbulence from the MD80. Quality assurance personnel from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the accident airplane had been cautioned about the possibility of encountering wake turbulence from the arriving MD80. At 0947:06, a Tucson airport air traffic controller cleared N48RV to land and stated "...caution wake turbulence em dee eighty two mile final parallel runway." At 0947:24, the controller again cautioned N48RV about wake turbulence, while the MD80 was about 1 mile from the runway. About 9 seconds later, the controller informed N48RV that the wind was from 060 degrees, at 7 knots. According to the FAA, the MD80 performed a visual approach to runway 11L and landed about 0948:29. N48RV crashed about 0949:05. Tucson International Airport operations personnel reported that the impact site was about 340 feet short of the runway. On short final approach between 50 and 75 feet above the ground, the pilot encountered wake turbulence from a MD80, which had just landed. During the wake turbulence encounter, the accident airplane suddenly rolled into a near vertical left bank, control was lost, and it crashed about 340 feet from the runway. While in the traffic pattern, the pilot had observed the approaching MD80. Air traffic control personnel advised the pilot that the local wind was from 060 degrees, at 7 knots, and the controller twice cautioned the pilot regarding wake turbulence. At 0947:24, the MD80 was about 1 mile from landing on a visual approach to runway 11L and it landed at 0948:29 . The accident pilot crashed at 0949:28, approaching parallel runway 11R. Tucson International Airport operations personnel reported that the impact site was about 340 feet short of the runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12