CRJ-900 flight crew reported encountering wake turbulence from preceding B737-800 on arrival into JFK.
Synopsis
CRJ-900 flight crew reported encountering wake turbulence from preceding B737-800 on arrival into JFK.
Narrative
While being vectored between 4;000 and 2;000 feet to JFK's 22L we encountered wake turbulence twice from the aircraft we were being vectored behind (a 737). Another aircraft also being vectored reported wake turbulence as well from the aircraft they were following. The second instance of wake turbulence rolled our aircraft abruptly. I reported this and the previous instance to ATC and the Controller was confused as they stated that we were on a perpendicular heading and they assigned us a slower speed. The winds aloft at our altitude (2;000 feet) were from approximately 250-260 degrees which would blow the aircraft's wake right into our flight path. I understand that it is very busy during the evenings arriving into JFK but Controllers need to be more mindful as well as more receptive to wake turbulence reports at low altitudes and speeds. Cause: Tight spacing caused by Controllers vectoring large amounts of aircraft during the evening rush into JFK caused the wake turbulence encounters. Suggestions: Speak up when experiencing wake turbulence. Controllers have minimum separation criteria that they will stick to; especially when it gets busy. They may not know/understand why an aircraft can still be affected by wake outside of these distances.
Second reporter narrative
Got caught into two wake turbulence encounters; resulting in uncommanded rolls. Starting abeam 22L all the way till lined up to final. Controller didn't understand the winds aloft and was turning us in too tight with traffic to follow. Winds were from a crosswind on downwind to a quartering headwind on base leg. Base leg into 22L had the worst of the wake turbulence following a 737-800 at 2000 feet doing 180 kts assigned. The Controller also made unprofessional comments about the event when we reported that we were given wake turbulence. Suggestions: Air Traffic Control get winds aloft data from pilots to help with vectoring aircraft especially during heavy arrival rates into congested airspace.
NASA callback
Reporter reiterated their concerns with Controllers not taking conditions into account when anticipating wake encounters.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.