Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 24; Flight Crew Total 144
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Environment - Non Weather Related
While flying in a Piper Cherokee on an instrument flight plan with two passengers; I was cleared by Approach Control to approach Runway 14 at the unattended airport MCN. ATC issued climb out instructions and approved a frequency change to advisory frequency. Upon landing; my passengers decided they wanted to switch seats. Instead of doing a touch and go; I turned off the runway and taxied back to the end of Runway 14 stopping briefly near the terminal to let my passengers readjust. While taxiing; I observed a [large transport aircraft] on final approach to WRB; but did not consider the close proximity of WRB to MCN or the overlap of my departure course with the approach course to Rwy 15 at WRB. I departed Rwy 14 as quickly as possible to best adhere to ATC instructions. During the initial climb at about 500 ft AGL; I felt the most powerful gusts of turbulence I ever had; and the plane was sent into a very steep right bank and downward pitch. I was able to identify the gusts as wake turbulence; and recover control of the plane. I turned away from the approach course of the cargo plane (which did not correspond to my assigned climb out instructions); then queried ATC for an alternative climb out heading; due to the wake turbulence encounter. My request was approved; but had it not been; I was ready to declare an emergency.The pilot factors that led to the incident include: flying to an unattended airport; performing a full stop and taxi instead of a touch and go; and not being aware of the overlap of my departure course with the approach course to the nearby airport. ATC was also a factor; as even if I had done a touch and go and turned to my assigned heading; I would have crossed the final approach course of the military cargo plane.
PA28 pilot reported a wake turbulence encounter with a military transport aircraft in the vicinity of MCN airport.