E120 crew encountered wake turbulence from a B727 immediately ahead.

Attributes
ACN	449453
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lax.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 2900
ASRS Report	449453
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Airport ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : lax.tower

Narrative:

Our flight had been cleared for takeoff behind a B727 which had just begun its initial climb out. ATC was not concerned because the B727 is not considered 'heavy.' we rolled slowly into position on runway 24L in order to create space between the B727 and ourselves. The tower controller forcefully told us to roll 'immediately.' there was no traffic on final so I figured that he was in a hurry to launch the aircraft behind us. We felt that sufficient distance had been created and we proceeded with a static takeoff. Our aircraft was very close to its maximum takeoff weight. Generally an E120 can climb steeper than a B727 but today we were about matched at 400 ft AGL. We encountered the wake from the B727. We immediately turned about 20 degrees right to exit the wake because it was the safest course of action. There was no traffic which was in conflict with us. The tower was advised of our turn and the wake issue was explained. The controller then proceeded to chastise for making an 'unapproved turn.' our heading deviation lasted about 8 seconds. There was no further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 CREW ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB FROM A B727 IMMEDIATELY AHEAD.

Narrative: OUR FLT HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF BEHIND A B727 WHICH HAD JUST BEGUN ITS INITIAL CLBOUT. ATC WAS NOT CONCERNED BECAUSE THE B727 IS NOT CONSIDERED 'HVY.' WE ROLLED SLOWLY INTO POS ON RWY 24L IN ORDER TO CREATE SPACE BTWN THE B727 AND OURSELVES. THE TWR CTLR FORCEFULLY TOLD US TO ROLL 'IMMEDIATELY.' THERE WAS NO TFC ON FINAL SO I FIGURED THAT HE WAS IN A HURRY TO LAUNCH THE ACFT BEHIND US. WE FELT THAT SUFFICIENT DISTANCE HAD BEEN CREATED AND WE PROCEEDED WITH A STATIC TKOF. OUR ACFT WAS VERY CLOSE TO ITS MAX TKOF WT. GENERALLY AN E120 CAN CLB STEEPER THAN A B727 BUT TODAY WE WERE ABOUT MATCHED AT 400 FT AGL. WE ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE FROM THE B727. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED ABOUT 20 DEGS R TO EXIT THE WAKE BECAUSE IT WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. THERE WAS NO TFC WHICH WAS IN CONFLICT WITH US. THE TWR WAS ADVISED OF OUR TURN AND THE WAKE ISSUE WAS EXPLAINED. THE CTLR THEN PROCEEDED TO CHASTISE FOR MAKING AN 'UNAPPROVED TURN.' OUR HDG DEV LASTED ABOUT 8 SECONDS. THERE WAS NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.