Narrative:

After passing FL200 on the arrival into ZZZ descending through approximately 16000 ft; we encountered wake turbulence from a preceding aircraft also tracking the arrival into ZZZ. The autoplt was engaged and the aircraft was following VNAV and navigation commands from the FMS. When the aircraft appeared to start an uncontrolled roll to the left; I; as the PF; disconnected the autoplt and maneuvered the aircraft up and to the left of the wake turbulence core we were engaged in. Just prior to entering this wake; approach had just queried us on our speed which was about 320 KTS. As I was entering the wake; approach had informed us that there was airbus traffic less than 6 miles ahead and that we should slow to 280 KTS. After exiting the wake; approach instructed us to turn left 20 degrees for traffic ahead. The captain at this time was in communication with the flight attendants taking assessment and from that exchange I informed approach that we had experienced a wake turbulence event and there were possible injuries. Approach then vectored us for spacing behind the airbus to continue the arrival into ZZZ. The captain tried to inform company of our situation and have them call paramedics to meet the aircraft; but there was no answer. ATC coordinated with ZZZ tower and rolled the paramedics to our arrival gate. ATC also designated us as an emergency aircraft. Once parked at the gate; passenger deplaned normally with no injuries and complaints. Paramedics triaged the 3 flight attendants and they decided to seek further medical attention.supplemental information from acn 786321: descending into ZZZ with seatbelt sign on. At approximately 16000 ft; wake turbulence was encountered from preceding aircraft on the same arrival and track to ZZZ. The descent from cruise altitude to touchdown was in night VMC and smooth air; except for a few seconds of wake turbulence. Autoplt was used in the VNAV mode; until the autoplt was disconnected to effect recovery. The first officer was flying. The cockpit crew observed no unsecured objects being dislodged. Seconds before the event; ATC did ask us our speed. Approximately 320-325 KTS was given. At this time there were no speed restrs or following traffic advisories given. Then the wake turbulence was encountered. After the initial roll and pitch variance; the first officer elected to disconnect the autoplt. This resulted in the quickest and best recovery. A left turn to try to maneuver out of it was initiated. At the completion of the recovery; I called the cabin to get an assessment. The 3 flight attendants reported having been bumped around with possible injuries to themselves. There were no reports of passenger problems and no requests from passenger. A call to ATC was made and we stated that we might have possible flight attendant injuries. We were unable to contact operations; therefore we asked ATC to call for paramedics. After the passenger were off the airplane the paramedics checked out the flight attendants. All three flight attendants chose to get further medical attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURBULENCE FROM PRECEDING ACFT PASSING 16000 FT DURING DSCNT. FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ARE ONLY INJURIES.

Narrative: AFTER PASSING FL200 ON THE ARR INTO ZZZ DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 16000 FT; WE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB FROM A PRECEDING ACFT ALSO TRACKING THE ARR INTO ZZZ. THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AND THE ACFT WAS FOLLOWING VNAV AND NAV COMMANDS FROM THE FMS. WHEN THE ACFT APPEARED TO START AN UNCONTROLLED ROLL TO THE LEFT; I; AS THE PF; DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND MANEUVERED THE ACFT UP AND TO THE LEFT OF THE WAKE TURB CORE WE WERE ENGAGED IN. JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING THIS WAKE; APCH HAD JUST QUERIED US ON OUR SPD WHICH WAS ABOUT 320 KTS. AS I WAS ENTERING THE WAKE; APCH HAD INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS AIRBUS TFC LESS THAN 6 MILES AHEAD AND THAT WE SHOULD SLOW TO 280 KTS. AFTER EXITING THE WAKE; APCH INSTRUCTED US TO TURN LEFT 20 DEGS FOR TFC AHEAD. THE CAPT AT THIS TIME WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS TAKING ASSESSMENT AND FROM THAT EXCHANGE I INFORMED APCH THAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED A WAKE TURB EVENT AND THERE WERE POSSIBLE INJURIES. APCH THEN VECTORED US FOR SPACING BEHIND THE AIRBUS TO CONTINUE THE ARR INTO ZZZ. THE CAPT TRIED TO INFORM COMPANY OF OUR SITUATION AND HAVE THEM CALL PARAMEDICS TO MEET THE ACFT; BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. ATC COORDINATED WITH ZZZ TWR AND ROLLED THE PARAMEDICS TO OUR ARR GATE. ATC ALSO DESIGNATED US AS AN EMER ACFT. ONCE PARKED AT THE GATE; PAX DEPLANED NORMALLY WITH NO INJURIES AND COMPLAINTS. PARAMEDICS TRIAGED THE 3 FLT ATTENDANTS AND THEY DECIDED TO SEEK FURTHER MEDICAL ATTENTION.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 786321: DSNDING INTO ZZZ WITH SEATBELT SIGN ON. AT APPROX 16000 FT; WAKE TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED FROM PRECEDING ACFT ON THE SAME ARR AND TRACK TO ZZZ. THE DSCNT FROM CRUISE ALT TO TOUCHDOWN WAS IN NIGHT VMC AND SMOOTH AIR; EXCEPT FOR A FEW SECONDS OF WAKE TURB. AUTOPLT WAS USED IN THE VNAV MODE; UNTIL THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED TO EFFECT RECOVERY. THE FO WAS FLYING. THE COCKPIT CREW OBSERVED NO UNSECURED OBJECTS BEING DISLODGED. SECONDS BEFORE THE EVENT; ATC DID ASK US OUR SPD. APPROX 320-325 KTS WAS GIVEN. AT THIS TIME THERE WERE NO SPD RESTRS OR FOLLOWING TFC ADVISORIES GIVEN. THEN THE WAKE TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED. AFTER THE INITIAL ROLL AND PITCH VARIANCE; THE FO ELECTED TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT. THIS RESULTED IN THE QUICKEST AND BEST RECOVERY. A LEFT TURN TO TRY TO MANEUVER OUT OF IT WAS INITIATED. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE RECOVERY; I CALLED THE CABIN TO GET AN ASSESSMENT. THE 3 FLT ATTENDANTS RPTED HAVING BEEN BUMPED AROUND WITH POSSIBLE INJURIES TO THEMSELVES. THERE WERE NO RPTS OF PAX PROBLEMS AND NO REQUESTS FROM PAX. A CALL TO ATC WAS MADE AND WE STATED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE POSSIBLE FLT ATTENDANT INJURIES. WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT OPS; THEREFORE WE ASKED ATC TO CALL FOR PARAMEDICS. AFTER THE PAX WERE OFF THE AIRPLANE THE PARAMEDICS CHKED OUT THE FLT ATTENDANTS. ALL THREE FLT ATTENDANTS CHOSE TO GET FURTHER MEDICAL ATTENTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.