DEN Tower Controller reported a B737 executed a go-around after encountering wake turbulence from a preceding A300; and the reporter was questioned by the Supervisor after offering the B737 S turns for runway separation.

Date: 2025-03 · Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: approach

Anomalies: atc-issue-all-types|conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-unstabilized-approach|inflight-event-encounter-wake-vortex-encounter

Synopsis

DEN Tower Controller reported a B737 executed a go-around after encountering wake turbulence from a preceding A300; and the reporter was questioned by the Supervisor after offering the B737 S turns for runway separation.

Narrative

Approach turned Aircraft X in too close behind Aircraft Y (I think it was Aircraft Y) and before they lost wake turbulence separation they were able to get pilot visual separation. While this did fix that issue; there was no way I was going to have runway separation. I offered Aircraft X S turns to the left only for spacing and Aircraft X accepted and performed the S turns. The S turn was enough to get runway separation. However; as Aircraft X was touching down his mains; Aircraft X experienced a wake turbulence encounter and elected to go around. I gave him instructions and shipped him to Departure to be re-sequenced for another approach. My Supervisor said I was not allowed to offer S turns. I replied of course I can offer S turns; where does it say I can't? All this was taking place in the Tower cab causing a distraction as not only myself but other controllers started questioning where this Supervisor came up with this 'rule.'The Supervisor continued looking on a computer in the Tower cab trying to find the 'rule.' But he could not. So he used Google AI and he said Google AI said I can't. I didn't respond to such a ridiculous and Tower cab distracting statement. Other controllers challenged that our rules don't come from Google AI which is obvious. This topic continued on for about 45 minutes as a distraction. Later he called me into his office and told me we were having an expectations discussion; later I heard an OM say it was a performance discussion. But during whatever type of discussion it was; it concluded with him unable to find any rule that says I can't offer an S turn. He found a safety bulletin that said we should avoid issuing instructions that can cause an unstable approach. One - a safety bulletin is advisory and not regulatory. And two - I do follow the safety bulletin and avoid causing an unstable approach; in this case it was the only way to get runway separation and was unavoidable. Additionally; if I didn't offer the S turn; Aircraft X would have been much closer and the wake turbulence encounter would have been worse; so what I did was actually safer. The pilot did not go around due to an unstable approach; but due to a wake turbulence encounter. Totally separate things. The Supervisor then told me he didn't want any more potentially significant events to happen under his watch and that I am instructed to never solicit or instruct an aircraft to do anything that might cause an unstable approach. To include S turns; reduce to final inside the marker or reduce to slowest practical speed inside the marker. No one else at the facility has been instructed to not do these things; only me. To my knowledge; no one has talked with Approach to prevent future wake turbulence encounters from happening; only this unwarranted focus on unstable approaches which had nothing to do with this event.Recommendations: Preventing this wake turbulence encounter from happening again means talking to Approach to come up with solutions such as providing better spacing on final. Approach needs to be made aware of this event.I was singled out unfairly. This is unacceptable and must be corrected immediately.It should be explained to the Supervisor that my soliciting of an unstable approach had nothing to do with the go-around. It was a wake turbulence encounter. The S turn actually reduced the effect of the encounter as more time and distance was gained by the maneuver; it actually made it safer not less safe. All talk of unstable approaches is irrelevant to this occurrence.It should be explained to the Supervisor that discussions about rules and procedures are not to done in the Tower cab. It's a distraction to the operation. Especially when every controller completely disagrees with the Supervisor's made up or interpreted rule. These discussions should be made outside of the operations area.It should be explained to the Supervisor that Google AI and other such sources are not approved for working air traffic. To quotesuch a site is ridiculous. If Management wants to make up new rules or procedures; it should be through the SOP. Where the union and Management collaborate and then every controller follows the same rules. Not this set of rules for this Supervisor or this set of rules for this controller.I understand pressure on supervisors is causing them to do things just to save their pay raises or their jobs. This is a failure of upper management. Any Supervisor that focuses on the safety and efficiency of the operation and the controllers that work for them should be excelling. Instead they are worried about things that are not nearly are significant as the desk people say they are. I've worked in Tower cabs for years; I know when it's significant or not in the real sense.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.