NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX90LA205
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WAKE TURBULENCE PRODUCED BY A HOVERING HELICOPTER.
Factual narrative
A CESSNA 152II LOST CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE VORTICES OF A HOVERING BELL HELICOPTER 412 IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PILOT IN COMMAND INDICATED IN HIS CREWMEMBER STATEMENT, THAT HE WAS ON THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB WHEN HE SAW THE HELICOPTER HOVERING PARALLEL TO THE TAXIWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN ENCOUNTERED THE HELICOPTER'S ROTORWASH. THE PILOT DID NOT INDICATE IN HIS STATEMENT THAT HE TOOK ANY EVASIVE ACTIONS ONCE HE SAW THE HELICOPTER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_LAX90LA205.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (loss of control, wake turbulence, turbulence). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Aircraft wake turbulence minimization by aerodynamic means
The paper reviews NASA's efforts on wake vortex turbulence minimization by aerodynamic design or retrofit modifications to large transport aircraft.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Arrivals (WTMA)
The preliminary Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Arrivals (WTMA) concept of operations is described in this paper. The WTMA concept provides further detail to work initiated by the Wake Vortex Avoidance…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Aircraft wake turbulence avoidance
Aircraft wake turbulence /trailing vortex systems/ avoidance during flight, describing procedures for pilots and tower operators
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Aircraft wake turbulence progress and plans
Aircraft wake turbulence and trailing vortices, investigating physical characteristics, hazard potential and avoidance techniques
- SKYbrary (Eurocontrol) 2023 · SKYbrary article
Wake Vortex Turbulence — SKYbrary Knowledge Base
SKYbrary wake vortex turbulence comprehensive article — generation mechanics, dissipation factors, separation standards (ICAO LIGHT/MEDIUM/HEAVY/SUPER + recategorisation RECAT-EU).
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR)
An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗