NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX93LA019
Registry · N5074J
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
APOLLO JET STAR II
Year of manufacture
2002
Engine
ROTAX 503 DCDI (52 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20070926
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A656DE
Registrant of record
SMART MARK D
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT NOT FOLLOWING WAKE TURBULENCE (VOTEX) AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES, WHICH ARE DETAILED IN FAA PUBLICATIONS, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE, AND 2) INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY FROM THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.
Factual narrative
AN FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND INTERVIEWED WITNESSES AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10 AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 7 ABOUT ONE MINUTE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF. THEY SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF FROM AN INTERSECTION ON RUNWAY 7, ABOUT 2,700 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE DC-10 WAS LIFTING OFF THE GROUND. THEY FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 TO 250 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND; BANKED ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT; CORRECTED TO ABOUT A 30 DEGREE RIGHT BANK; AND THEN 'SNAPPED' 120 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE WITNESSES STATED THEY BELIEVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE DEPARTING DC-10. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1992_LAX93LA019.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 (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 ↗