Aircraft encountered wake turbulence on approach.

Attributes
ACN	83901
Time
Date	198803
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1975
ASRS Report	83901
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route from psa to lax we were handed off to lax approach. They pointed out an medium large transport and we were cleared for a visual approach to follow him. He was to be for runway 25R and us for runway 25L. When we turned to follow him we were about 3500' and the medium large transport at approximately 5000' and about 4 mi ahead. At this time we were about 20 mi from the airport. At about 10 mi from the airport and still at 3500' we encountered wake turbulence. The aircraft rolled violently to the right. After recovering we elected to continue the approach. At the point where we encountered the turbulence we were still about 3 mi in trail of the medium large transport. At the time of the incident approach was asking us to pick up our speed to close the gap in sep. No emergency was declared. Often time in lax, commuter aircraft are expected to take too many chances regarding wake turbulence in order to allow approach to fit more aircraft in for arrival. ATC needs to be more aware of the problems commuter aircraft face re wake turbulence avoidance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE ON APCH.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM PSA TO LAX WE WERE HANDED OFF TO LAX APCH. THEY POINTED OUT AN MLG AND WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO FOLLOW HIM. HE WAS TO BE FOR RWY 25R AND US FOR RWY 25L. WHEN WE TURNED TO FOLLOW HIM WE WERE ABOUT 3500' AND THE MLG AT APPROX 5000' AND ABOUT 4 MI AHEAD. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 20 MI FROM THE ARPT. AT ABOUT 10 MI FROM THE ARPT AND STILL AT 3500' WE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE. THE ACFT ROLLED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. AFTER RECOVERING WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APCH. AT THE POINT WHERE WE ENCOUNTERED THE TURB WE WERE STILL ABOUT 3 MI IN TRAIL OF THE MLG. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT APCH WAS ASKING US TO PICK UP OUR SPD TO CLOSE THE GAP IN SEP. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. OFTEN TIME IN LAX, COMMUTER ACFT ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE TOO MANY CHANCES REGARDING WAKE TURB IN ORDER TO ALLOW APCH TO FIT MORE ACFT IN FOR ARR. ATC NEEDS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE PROBS COMMUTER ACFT FACE RE WAKE TURB AVOIDANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.