Narrative:

We had been cleared for the VOR/DME runway 22L, and advised we were following a B757 caution wake turbulence. We heard the guy ahead of us get cleared for a left turn, right base for runway 29, but failed to catch the significance. About 30 seconds later (about 5/6 mi from runway 22L) we received the same clearance with no warning. We scrambled to check the runway 29 length versus our landing weight. We were at 109000 pounds and maximum structural was 110000 pounds and our card for 110000 pounds showed we needed 6200 ft wet runway. Runway 29 is 6800 ft and was dry. We turned final about 4-5 mi behind the B757 and when we were rolled out we were informed that we were cleared to land #3. This caused a moment of confusion until we realized #2 was landing runway 22L. I commented to first officer, 'I hope I don't hit his wake turbulence' since he would cross the touchdown zone of my runway 15-20 seconds before I got there. I kept the power on in the flare and at 10-20 ft, I hit his wake. I dropped and rocked a bit. Hit firm and bounced about 10-15 ft. At first I thought of putting it back down, but then realized that due to shortness of runway I had better go around. Came back to runway 22L and landed uneventfully. ATC screwed up by putting me in this situation, but I should have gone around as soon as I realized that I would be flying under the second B757's flight path.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER ON LNDG AT EWR CAUSES A GAR. INTERSECTING RWYS WERE IN USE FOR LNDGS.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE VOR/DME RWY 22L, AND ADVISED WE WERE FOLLOWING A B757 CAUTION WAKE TURB. WE HEARD THE GUY AHEAD OF US GET CLRED FOR A L TURN, R BASE FOR RWY 29, BUT FAILED TO CATCH THE SIGNIFICANCE. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER (ABOUT 5/6 MI FROM RWY 22L) WE RECEIVED THE SAME CLRNC WITH NO WARNING. WE SCRAMBLED TO CHK THE RWY 29 LENGTH VERSUS OUR LNDG WT. WE WERE AT 109000 LBS AND MAX STRUCTURAL WAS 110000 LBS AND OUR CARD FOR 110000 LBS SHOWED WE NEEDED 6200 FT WET RWY. RWY 29 IS 6800 FT AND WAS DRY. WE TURNED FINAL ABOUT 4-5 MI BEHIND THE B757 AND WHEN WE WERE ROLLED OUT WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO LAND #3. THIS CAUSED A MOMENT OF CONFUSION UNTIL WE REALIZED #2 WAS LNDG RWY 22L. I COMMENTED TO FO, 'I HOPE I DON'T HIT HIS WAKE TURB' SINCE HE WOULD CROSS THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE OF MY RWY 15-20 SECONDS BEFORE I GOT THERE. I KEPT THE PWR ON IN THE FLARE AND AT 10-20 FT, I HIT HIS WAKE. I DROPPED AND ROCKED A BIT. HIT FIRM AND BOUNCED ABOUT 10-15 FT. AT FIRST I THOUGHT OF PUTTING IT BACK DOWN, BUT THEN REALIZED THAT DUE TO SHORTNESS OF RWY I HAD BETTER GO AROUND. CAME BACK TO RWY 22L AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. ATC SCREWED UP BY PUTTING ME IN THIS SIT, BUT I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND AS SOON AS I REALIZED THAT I WOULD BE FLYING UNDER THE SECOND B757'S FLT PATH.

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.