FlightFollowerWake Turbulence on Final: How N162AM Rolled 135 Degrees
A Cirrus SR22 following an Airbus A320 on final encountered wake turbulence and rolled violently before the crew deployed the CAPS parachute.
Accident Facts
- Incident date
- December 16, 2021
- Registration
- N162AM
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SR22
- Location
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Operation
- Part 91 personal flight
- Category
- Fatal crash — wake turbulence encounter
- NTSB probable cause
- The airplane’s encounter with wake turbulence from a preceding Airbus A320 during the landing approach
- NTSB report
- ERA22LA089
- Reconstruction
- ATC audio reconstruction
The Traffic Picture
The Cirrus crew was practicing approaches when the tower advised them of an Airbus A320 on a 3-mile final. The pilot reported the Airbus in sight. The tower then cleared the Cirrus to follow the Airbus and land on Runway 23L. The Cirrus turned base approximately 1.8 miles behind the A320 and later established a 1.5-mile final.
The Missing Advisory
The NTSB found that the controller did not issue a wake-turbulence cautionary advisory. The final report reviewed the applicable FAA procedures and noted that such advisories are intended to emphasize the possibility of a dangerous wake encounter, particularly when a smaller aircraft follows a larger one on the same runway. The pilot knew the Airbus was ahead, but the required caution was not transmitted.
The Roll
The pilot recalled feeling a sudden bump of wake turbulence. Within less than a second the airplane rolled approximately 135° to the left. The pilot applied corrective controls and called for CAPS. The passenger pulled the parachute handle as the airplane approached a near-level wing attitude with the nose still pitched down.
The Parachute Deployment
The pilot felt the deceleration from the parachute for several seconds before impact. The post-impact fire started rapidly. The pilot escaped the aircraft, while the passenger also exited but sustained fatal injuries. The accident illustrates that CAPS deployment can alter the impact sequence but cannot guarantee a survivable outcome when deployment occurs at low altitude and high attitude deviation.
No Engine Problem
Recorded flight data did not reveal an engine anomaly before the accident. The NTSB therefore treated the wake encounter and resulting loss of control as the defining sequence rather than an engine or primary flight-control failure.
Conclusion
N162AM had the preceding Airbus in sight and was cleared to follow it, but the aircraft still encountered a strong wake disturbance on final. The airplane rolled violently in less than a second, leaving the crew with very little altitude for recovery or parachute deployment. The NTSB's finding specifically identifies both the wake encounter and the missing cautionary advisory.
Primary Source / Investigation Record
Investigation reference: ERA22LA089
Sources & Reconstruction Note
Primary Investigation Reference
NTSB accident number: ERA22LA089