Narrative:

On oct/xx/97 I was a jump seat rider on a flight from bfl to lax. The WX at lax was 700 ft tops with low fog in the coastal lax area. From above, the lights of the city were totally obscured in some areas, with pockets of less dense fog blanketing the entire area. At a glance it was apparent that an approach would be to minimums. While descending on GS (I was seated in cabin) at what I conjecture was some 1000-1500 ft MSL, we encountered a wake turbulence upset. Even from the back I could feel the tell-tale rise, followed immediately by something short of violent wing rocking, destabilized flight. My reasons for submitting the report are two part: the tower did not provide adequate spacing, which can happen. My greater concern is that the pilot, after upset recovery, some 500 ft prior to entering solid undercast, elected to recover and pursue the approach. The inevitable, and foreseeable consequence was another upset just prior to IMC entry, followed by continued descent to a missed approach. As a pilot sitting in the back with first hand knowledge of wake turbulence upset, I was scared! I admit I don't have all the facts the crew had, but I would recommend a review of their stabilized approach policy, and reinforcement of the danger of wake turbulence, particularly in IMC, near the ground. At the least, the pilot's choice to pursue the approach by reacquiring GS intercept was imprudent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN EMBRAER BRASILIA, E120, ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB ON AN ILS FINAL TWICE JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING AN UNDERCAST WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED THEM TO MAKE A MISSED APCH. THE RPTR OF THIS EVENT WAS A PAX PLT SEATED IN THE CABIN.

Narrative: ON OCT/XX/97 I WAS A JUMP SEAT RIDER ON A FLT FROM BFL TO LAX. THE WX AT LAX WAS 700 FT TOPS WITH LOW FOG IN THE COASTAL LAX AREA. FROM ABOVE, THE LIGHTS OF THE CITY WERE TOTALLY OBSCURED IN SOME AREAS, WITH POCKETS OF LESS DENSE FOG BLANKETING THE ENTIRE AREA. AT A GLANCE IT WAS APPARENT THAT AN APCH WOULD BE TO MINIMUMS. WHILE DSNDING ON GS (I WAS SEATED IN CABIN) AT WHAT I CONJECTURE WAS SOME 1000-1500 FT MSL, WE ENCOUNTERED A WAKE TURB UPSET. EVEN FROM THE BACK I COULD FEEL THE TELL-TALE RISE, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY SOMETHING SHORT OF VIOLENT WING ROCKING, DESTABILIZED FLT. MY REASONS FOR SUBMITTING THE RPT ARE TWO PART: THE TWR DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE SPACING, WHICH CAN HAPPEN. MY GREATER CONCERN IS THAT THE PLT, AFTER UPSET RECOVERY, SOME 500 FT PRIOR TO ENTERING SOLID UNDERCAST, ELECTED TO RECOVER AND PURSUE THE APCH. THE INEVITABLE, AND FORESEEABLE CONSEQUENCE WAS ANOTHER UPSET JUST PRIOR TO IMC ENTRY, FOLLOWED BY CONTINUED DSCNT TO A MISSED APCH. AS A PLT SITTING IN THE BACK WITH FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF WAKE TURB UPSET, I WAS SCARED! I ADMIT I DON'T HAVE ALL THE FACTS THE CREW HAD, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND A REVIEW OF THEIR STABILIZED APCH POLICY, AND REINFORCEMENT OF THE DANGER OF WAKE TURB, PARTICULARLY IN IMC, NEAR THE GND. AT THE LEAST, THE PLT'S CHOICE TO PURSUE THE APCH BY REACQUIRING GS INTERCEPT WAS IMPRUDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.