MIA99LA165
1999-06-06 · PEACHTREE CITY, Georgia, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport FFC
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The failure of the pilot to follow appropriate wake turbulence avoidance procedures, and wait an adequate amount of time prior to taking off behind a corporate jet.
Factual narrative
On June 6, 1999, about 1129 eastern daylight time, a Bruce A. Schmidt Airshark II, N911FM, registered to an individual, crashed shortly after takeoff from Falcon Field, Peachtree City, Georgia, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the private-rated pilot received serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he departed on runway 13. After takeoff the aircraft began to roll to the left and attempts to correct the roll with right roll control were unsuccessful. The controls were operational. He believed that he had encountered wake turbulence from a departing corporate jet. The aircraft continued to roll to the left and the left wing impacted the ground resulting in the accident. Witnesses stated that shortly takeoff on runway 13, the aircraft rolled to a 90-degree left bank. The aircraft then descended and the left wing contacted the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled about the wings and came to rest in the area between the runway and taxiway. A Diamond Jet had departed prior to N911FM; however, witnesses could not remember how long before. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the aircraft's flight control systems. Shortly after takeoff the airplane rolled to the left. Attempts to control the left roll were unsuccessful, and the airplane rolled to about a 90 degree left roll, descended, and crashed. Postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector disclosed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction of the flight control system. The pilot stated he believed he encountered wake turbulence from a corporate jet which departed ahead of him. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1999_MIA99LA165.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (wake turbulence, turbulence). All research papers
- 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.