A B737-300 flight crew experiences an encounter with wake turbulence when on a visual approach to mco. The preceding aircraft was a B757 4 pt 5 mi ahead. ATC had issued a speed restr too low for the B737 PIC to comply with so was given an extended vector to follow the B757 with standard separation. Following this the B737 had another event during flare after the parallel runway was not given to him as requested by PIC.

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Attributes
ACN	406153
Time
Date	199806
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco tower : mco
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	406153
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were being vectored crosswind, 15 NM from runway. Controller assigned a speed of 160 KTS to follow a heavy B757. I was told to 'advise if unable,' and I refused the speed for wake turbulence considerations. Controller replied with an expected delay vector across final for spacing. Shortly we were turned to final and almost immediately encountered wake turbulence. Autoplt was disengaged and aircraft flown off final. TCASII showed preceding aircraft 4 1/2 mi ahead and 1100 ft lower. A high final was flown and when we were handed off to tower, we requested the parallel runway (runway 18L). Tower rejected the request because it was unavailable. After landing, I asked tower why it was not available and he responded, because it would have delayed the preceding aircraft crossing that runway to get to his gate. I explained we had requested it for wake turbulence considerations and had encountered wake turbulence on final (actually on final and in the flare). Each controller had stated 'following heavy, use caution...' but then slowed me down (reducing my safety margin) and refused me an alternate runway. It would appear more consideration could have been applied to avoid a possible dangerous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 FLC EXPERIENCES AN ENCOUNTER WITH WAKE TURB WHEN ON A VISUAL APCH TO MCO. THE PRECEDING ACFT WAS A B757 4 PT 5 MI AHEAD. ATC HAD ISSUED A SPD RESTR TOO LOW FOR THE B737 PIC TO COMPLY WITH SO WAS GIVEN AN EXTENDED VECTOR TO FOLLOW THE B757 WITH STANDARD SEPARATION. FOLLOWING THIS THE B737 HAD ANOTHER EVENT DURING FLARE AFTER THE PARALLEL RWY WAS NOT GIVEN TO HIM AS REQUESTED BY PIC.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED XWIND, 15 NM FROM RWY. CTLR ASSIGNED A SPD OF 160 KTS TO FOLLOW A HVY B757. I WAS TOLD TO 'ADVISE IF UNABLE,' AND I REFUSED THE SPD FOR WAKE TURB CONSIDERATIONS. CTLR REPLIED WITH AN EXPECTED DELAY VECTOR ACROSS FINAL FOR SPACING. SHORTLY WE WERE TURNED TO FINAL AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB. AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED AND ACFT FLOWN OFF FINAL. TCASII SHOWED PRECEDING ACFT 4 1/2 MI AHEAD AND 1100 FT LOWER. A HIGH FINAL WAS FLOWN AND WHEN WE WERE HANDED OFF TO TWR, WE REQUESTED THE PARALLEL RWY (RWY 18L). TWR REJECTED THE REQUEST BECAUSE IT WAS UNAVAILABLE. AFTER LNDG, I ASKED TWR WHY IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND HE RESPONDED, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE DELAYED THE PRECEDING ACFT XING THAT RWY TO GET TO HIS GATE. I EXPLAINED WE HAD REQUESTED IT FOR WAKE TURB CONSIDERATIONS AND HAD ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB ON FINAL (ACTUALLY ON FINAL AND IN THE FLARE). EACH CTLR HAD STATED 'FOLLOWING HVY, USE CAUTION...' BUT THEN SLOWED ME DOWN (REDUCING MY SAFETY MARGIN) AND REFUSED ME AN ALTERNATE RWY. IT WOULD APPEAR MORE CONSIDERATION COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO AVOID A POSSIBLE DANGEROUS SIT.

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.