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B737-800 captain reported encountering wake turbulence on approach to mem in trail of a heavy widebody aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1567615 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201808 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | MEM.Airport |
| State Reference | TN |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Widebody Transport |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 364 Flight Crew Type 10400 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter |
Narrative:
We were cleared the visual approach to runway 36L following a heavy widebody aircraft; who was approximately 3 NM in front of us. I briefed the first officer that I would ride the glideslope slightly high to avoid wake turbulence. Winds on final were a left quartering tailwind of about eight knots and shifting left quartering headwind around 500' AGL. At around 300' AGL; we encountered wake turbulence with a significant right roll to at least 35 degrees of bank. I countered with left aileron and elected to go around; asserting that the deviation had resulted in an unstable approach on short final. The go-around and subsequent landing to 36L were uneventful.with the shifting winds; at least five mile spacing behind the heavy widebody aircraft would have probably prevented the event. In fact; the subsequent approach was behind another heavy widebody aircraft and I assured 5 NM spacing resulting in a successful approach and landing with no wake turbulence.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-800 Captain reported encountering wake turbulence on approach to MEM in trail of a heavy widebody aircraft.
Narrative: We were cleared the Visual Approach to Runway 36L following a heavy widebody aircraft; who was approximately 3 NM in front of us. I briefed the First Officer that I would ride the glideslope slightly high to avoid wake turbulence. Winds on final were a left quartering tailwind of about eight knots and shifting left quartering headwind around 500' AGL. At around 300' AGL; we encountered wake turbulence with a significant right roll to at least 35 degrees of bank. I countered with left aileron and elected to go around; asserting that the deviation had resulted in an unstable approach on short final. The go-around and subsequent landing to 36L were uneventful.With the shifting winds; at least five mile spacing behind the heavy widebody aircraft would have probably prevented the event. In fact; the subsequent approach was behind another heavy widebody aircraft and I assured 5 NM spacing resulting in a successful approach and landing with no wake turbulence.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.