<< >> NASA ASRS Report 450778, October 1999

S80 flight crew vectored without proper separation at dfw is vectored off the approach after crew slows for safety while encountering wake turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	450778
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 18r other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	450778
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : 931 aircraft equipment : tcas aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : 930 other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : +
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

12 mi final on runway 18R, dfw approach. Before turning final, we spotted inbound traffic ahead at same altitude. I queried to see if that traffic was a heavy jet. Response was it was a B757. Noting spacing to be only 3 mi, I became concerned. After turning final, we flew into the wake turbulence. Ordered first officer to slow to approach speed and tried to communicate to approach that we were doing so. After several attempts to get a radio call in, I was successful telling approach we had slowed below the assigned speed. Approach immediately broke us out. What concerns me about this event is that approach control is still considering B757's as not requiring more spacing. I disagree and would like to see this changed before someone goes upside down on final. On the ground I can control my spacing from departing B757's, but while airborne I have no control. Lastly, there is too much communication traffic on approach frequencys for timely xmissions of anything other than normal communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 FLC VECTORED WITHOUT PROPER SEPARATION AT DFW IS VECTORED OFF THE APCH AFTER CREW SLOWS FOR SAFETY WHILE ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURB.

Narrative: 12 MI FINAL ON RWY 18R, DFW APCH. BEFORE TURNING FINAL, WE SPOTTED INBOUND TFC AHEAD AT SAME ALT. I QUERIED TO SEE IF THAT TFC WAS A HVY JET. RESPONSE WAS IT WAS A B757. NOTING SPACING TO BE ONLY 3 MI, I BECAME CONCERNED. AFTER TURNING FINAL, WE FLEW INTO THE WAKE TURB. ORDERED FO TO SLOW TO APCH SPD AND TRIED TO COMMUNICATE TO APCH THAT WE WERE DOING SO. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET A RADIO CALL IN, I WAS SUCCESSFUL TELLING APCH WE HAD SLOWED BELOW THE ASSIGNED SPD. APCH IMMEDIATELY BROKE US OUT. WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS EVENT IS THAT APCH CTL IS STILL CONSIDERING B757'S AS NOT REQUIRING MORE SPACING. I DISAGREE AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS CHANGED BEFORE SOMEONE GOES UPSIDE DOWN ON FINAL. ON THE GND I CAN CTL MY SPACING FROM DEPARTING B757'S, BUT WHILE AIRBORNE I HAVE NO CTL. LASTLY, THERE IS TOO MUCH COM TFC ON APCH FREQS FOR TIMELY XMISSIONS OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN NORMAL COM.

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.