A dash 8-400 encountered wake vortices from a heavy airbus on approach to ewr.

Attributes
ACN	1133307
Time
Date	201312
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	EWR.Airport
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Dash 8-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter

Narrative:

This was my leg to fly. We were being vectored for the approach. Over the radio it sounded like there were three other aircraft in front and we were behind a heavy airbus. Then ATC gave altitude; speed and heading to fly. In a very short time be were in moderate to severe turbulence. The aircraft rolled left and right and [changed] pitch. The autopilot disconnected automatically so the captain and I grabbed the controls. Then the captain said 'I have the controls'. He then returned the aircraft [to] the assigned altitude; heading; and speed and re-engaged the autopilot. Captain then advised ATC of what just happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Dash 8-400 encountered wake vortices from a heavy Airbus on approach to EWR.

Narrative: This was my leg to fly. We were being vectored for the approach. Over the radio it sounded like there were three other aircraft in front and we were behind a heavy Airbus. Then ATC gave altitude; speed and heading to fly. In a very short time be were in moderate to severe turbulence. The aircraft rolled left and right and [changed] pitch. The autopilot disconnected automatically so the Captain and I grabbed the controls. Then the Captain said 'I have the controls'. He then returned the aircraft [to] the assigned altitude; heading; and speed and re-engaged the autopilot. Captain then advised ATC of what just happened.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.