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4 engine widebody transport encounters wake turbulence at FL310 from a B777 15 mi ahead climbing through their altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 474259 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200005 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : abets |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : rjtg.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : pacific |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : rjtg.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : pacific |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 199 flight time total : 15300 flight time type : 657 |
| ASRS Report | 474259 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : wake turbulence other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : altimeter other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
We were cruising at FL310 in smooth air. Tokyo control climbed a B777 through our altitude to FL350 about 10-15 mi in front of us. I was talking to the purser on the phone when we hit the wake. The plane pitched up and rolled to the right and climbed 700 ft before I could smoothly roll back to the left and descend to FL310. No one was hurt and nothing was spilled. When we first saw the traffic on TCASII it was climbing through FL300 left of our course. When it leveled at FL350 it was right of our course. I might have missed the wake by offsetting my course and maybe not. I think the climbing airplane should have been offset.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 4 ENG WDB ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB AT FL310 FROM A B777 15 MI AHEAD CLBING THROUGH THEIR ALT.
Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL310 IN SMOOTH AIR. TOKYO CTL CLBED A B777 THROUGH OUR ALT TO FL350 ABOUT 10-15 MI IN FRONT OF US. I WAS TALKING TO THE PURSER ON THE PHONE WHEN WE HIT THE WAKE. THE PLANE PITCHED UP AND ROLLED TO THE R AND CLBED 700 FT BEFORE I COULD SMOOTHLY ROLL BACK TO THE L AND DSND TO FL310. NO ONE WAS HURT AND NOTHING WAS SPILLED. WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE TFC ON TCASII IT WAS CLBING THROUGH FL300 L OF OUR COURSE. WHEN IT LEVELED AT FL350 IT WAS R OF OUR COURSE. I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE WAKE BY OFFSETTING MY COURSE AND MAYBE NOT. I THINK THE CLBING AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFSET.
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.