EMB120 first officer climbed in response to wake turbulence from an A319 during final approach near the OM caused by approach controller instructions to increase speed to follow the A319 and flying into the wake from a lower altitude.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	521581
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah.tower tower : ewr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2950 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	521581
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : wake turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was cleared for visual approach behind A319 which we had in sight. Approach control told us to cross the marker beacon at or below 2000 ft. We initiated descent from 3000 ft to comply with the restr and began to slow to follow the A319. Just prior to crossing the OM our aircraft encountered mild wake turbulence from the preceding A319. The first officer pitched up to escape the wake and we crossed the marker between 2100 ft and 2200 ft. We returned to 2000 ft as quickly as possible and no traffic conflicts occurred. We landed without incident, and no problems were reported to us by tower. Causes of this incident were our willingness to accept a visual clearance behind an aircraft that was higher then our approach. Additionally, we were told to keep our speed up on the approach path. This instruction placed pressure on us to follow the preceding aircraft more closely than we would have preferred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB120 FO CLBED IN RESPONSE TO WAKE TURB FROM AN A319 DURING FINAL APCH NEAR THE OM CAUSED BY APCH CTLR INSTRUCTIONS TO INCREASE SPD TO FOLLOW THE A319 AND FLYING INTO THE WAKE FROM A LOWER ALT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH BEHIND A319 WHICH WE HAD IN SIGHT. APCH CTL TOLD US TO CROSS THE MARKER BEACON AT OR BELOW 2000 FT. WE INITIATED DSCNT FROM 3000 FT TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTR AND BEGAN TO SLOW TO FOLLOW THE A319. JUST PRIOR TO XING THE OM OUR ACFT ENCOUNTERED MILD WAKE TURB FROM THE PRECEDING A319. THE FO PITCHED UP TO ESCAPE THE WAKE AND WE CROSSED THE MARKER BTWN 2100 FT AND 2200 FT. WE RETURNED TO 2000 FT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND NO TFC CONFLICTS OCCURRED. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND NO PROBS WERE RPTED TO US BY TWR. CAUSES OF THIS INCIDENT WERE OUR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT A VISUAL CLRNC BEHIND AN ACFT THAT WAS HIGHER THEN OUR APCH. ADDITIONALLY, WE WERE TOLD TO KEEP OUR SPD UP ON THE APCH PATH. THIS INSTRUCTION PLACED PRESSURE ON US TO FOLLOW THE PRECEDING ACFT MORE CLOSELY THAN WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED.

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.