this appears highly possible! There is some contradiction hereafter but it makes interesting reading.Aircraft may be affected by a number of Ground effects, aerodynamic effects due to a flying body's proximity to the ground.
One of the most important of these effects is the Wing In Ground effect, which refers to the reduction in drag experienced by an aircraft as it approaches a height approximately twice a wingspan's length off the ground or other level surface (such as the sea). The effect increases as the wing descends closer to the ground, with the most significant effects occurring at a height of one half the wingspan length above the ground. It can present a hazard for inexperienced pilots who are not accustomed to correcting for it on their approach to landing, but it has also been used to effectively enhance the performance of certain kinds of aircraft whose planform has been adapted to take advantage of it, such as the Russian ekranoplans.
The phenomenon of 'wing in ground effect' is caused by the ground 'interrupting' the wingtip vortices and downwash behind the wing. When a wing is flown very close to the ground, wingtip vortices are unable to form effectively due to the obstruction of the ground. The result is lower induced drag, which increases the performance of the aircraft while it is experiencing the ground effect.
Factors affecting 'wing in ground effect' are numerous, and may include the wing's area, its chord length, and its angle-of-attack as it nears the surface, as well as the weight, speed, and configuration of the aircraft, and wing loading (aircraft weight per unit-area of wing).
'Wing in ground effect', often described as a 'cushion', is thought to be an increase in air pressure which occurs below a wing when it comes into close proximity with the ground. 'Wing in ground effect' begins to be noticeable (to both the pilot and an onlooker) when the aircraft is within 1-1.5 times the length of its own wingspan from the ground. 'Wing in ground effect', however, only becomes extremely pronounced, where lift can momentarily increase by as much as 40%
, when the plane is within about half its wingspan distance from the ground. Due to the effect of spoilers and high wing loading, this effect is only dramatically noticed in smaller, less complex aircraft, usually weighing less than 12,500 lbs. Ground effect is a major factor in aircraft "floating" down the runway, and is the reason that low-wing aircraft have a tendency to float more than the high-wing varieties.'Wing in ground effect' during take-off is thought to be a cause of many aircraft accidents. A small plane loaded beyond gross weight capabilities may be able to take off under ground effect, thanks to the 'artificially' low stall speed due to the decreased induced drag. But it may not be able to climb beyond a certain point. Once the pilot climbs out of ground effect wingtip vortices will form, the wings will stall, and the aircraft will suddenly descend - usually resulting in a crash.
