Could turbulence flip a plane over during a turn?

[Andrew R]

Hi there.

I was wondering if heavy turbulence/winds could flip an aircraft over whilst it was making a turn in the sky?

The reason I am wondering is on approach to Gatwick this morning we made some sharp maneuvers during heavy turbulence, it was rather scary at times because of the turbulence was quite serve.

I don't understand the physics, maybe it's not even possible for a plane to flip over due to turbulence during a turn. Hope someone can explain and put my mind at ease.

Cheers

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Answer is yes.

[Andrew R]

Any cases of it happening before, esp on larger commercial aircraft?

[N707ZS]

Wake turbulence turbulance has had a number of light aircraft over. I can rember a report of a jockey flying a Cessna 310 some years ago think he survived. Someone will probably rember this in more detail.

[Hotel Tango]

Come on guys, you're scaring the poor guy. Andrew R, if a small aircraft encounters the wake of a larger aircraft it could flip it over. However, I'm pretty sure that is not what you experienced. From your description I think you were simply in turbulent conditions (possibly cloud/strong winds or both?) and in a turn. That sort of turbulence is not uncommon and it will not flip an airliner over. It would have to be severe and believe me very few people on this forum have ever experienced severe turbulence.

[WASALOADIE]

There's some pictures around of the mandarin airlines MD-11 at Hong Kong in 1999 that flipped on approach during a storm and ended up on its roof.

[sevenstrokeroll]

I've had severe turbulence twice in 37 years of flying.

never extreme turbulence.

now, an encounter with any turbulence MAY cause a pilot to over control the plane and cause some problems

but the big question to the original poster is this...was your seat belt as tight as it could possibly go? if you hit any turbulence and you are not strapped in tight, it will feel MUCH worse than it actually is.

so, first thing, fasten seat belt as tight as possible, your ride will be better for it.

also a DC9 was flipped over following a heavy jet due to wake turbulence

[TheChitterneFlyer]

flipped on approach

a report of a jockey

a turn in the sky

The "quotes" say everything about the basic understanding of those who should seek a much greater appreciation of "things aviation" prior to posting an (in)appropriate reply!

[Mungo Man]

There's some pictures around of the mandarin airlines MD-11 at Hong Kong in 1999 that flipped on approach during a storm and ended up on its roof.

It didn't flip over in the air, it touched touch hard in a tropical storm and as often happens on the MD11, the heavy landing on one main gear sheared a wing off then it rotated upside down.

In short, normal turbulence is very very unlikely to flip an airliner upside down. It may make it bank 30 or 40 degrees suddenly but nothing that a large dose of aileron and rudder won't fix.

Wake turbulence is a different matter. The turbulence creating by certain aircraft while flying slowly on approach may well exceed the roll rate achievable by applying full aileron on smaller aircraft which is why there are strict minimum separation rules on approach.

[pax britanica]

Coming into LHR over London just turning towards final approach our BA 767 lurched and shuddered seevrely but immediately recovered. A moment later the BA captain speaking voice says -'Sorry about that-if you have ever heard the term wake turbulence thats what it feels like'

Like hitting a substantial speedbump rather too fast -very noticeable but not very scary in a 76'. But I understand how it could be a real danger to a small bizjet or simialr mixing it with the widebodies which certainly happens at some airports , but then thats what separation is for right?

PB

[The SSK]

as often happens on the MD11, the heavy landing on one main gear sheared a wing off

[air pig]

I did hear that happened to the late Mark Hanna in his Me 109 when he pulled a sharp turn to land in Spain and caught his own wake which flipped him over.

RiP Mark

[corsair]

I fly a light single, albeit a rather large and not so light single and the worst I experienced was a massive wing drop in turbulence. It was like a giant grabbed the wing and pulled it down. But it was never even close to being flipped over. It was easy to recover from. Even for light aircraft it would take something like hitting the wake turbulence of a heavy to flip over and even then you'd have to be really unlucky.

When it comes to airliners, short of flying into the heart of fully developed thunderstorm somewhere in the tropics then it just woudn't happen.

[Artic Monkey]

I've been hit by an Airbus 330's wake turbulence in a Q400 before and have had 4 uncommanded rolls from straight and level to 45° angle of bank. Had we already been in a turn then it would have been even more interesting than it was.

A lesson for all you PPL & upwards light aircraft drivers out there: Make no mistake, wake turbulence is not something to be messed with when ATC give you "recommended spacing", because it WILL kill you, that you can be sure of.

Safe flying.