B737 flight crew reported encountering light wake turbulence from a preceding B777 on short final approach into SFO.
Synopsis
B737 flight crew reported encountering light wake turbulence from a preceding B777 on short final approach into SFO.
Narrative
We were being vectored for the visual 28L; and NorCal Approach vectored us approximately 1-2 nm behind a 777 landing 28R. We reported the airport and the 777 in sight while the 777 was still north of the final approach course. We soon discussed the lack of separation and the possibility of going around; but continued because we had a south wind that fluctuated between 10-16 kts at our altitude; thus moving the wake away from us. However; the surface winds were reported at 360/10; which would move the wake towards us as we continued lower. As we got closer to the runway; we were able to see the wake signature in the water short of 28R. As we continued; the First Officer (FO) flew a dot high on the GS to mitigate the wake threat; and the wake signature in the water showed that it would remain clear of us; so we continued to a landing. We did feel a nibble of what we presume to be the 777 wake as we approached the threshold.In the future; I will not accept a visual this close to a heavy. Once it was evident that we were close in behind the 777; I should have simply gone around. I'm frustrated that I allowed ATC to back us into a corner; and even more frustrated that I did not remove us from the situation by going around. I've been flying in and out of SFO for 25 years; and have never had a vector this close behind a heavy. I can only presume that it was an ATC screw-up that I then accepted by reporting the 777 in sight. Never again.
Second reporter narrative
Landing 28L into SFO we were vectored by NorCal Approach about 1 to 2 miles behind a heavy 777 landing on 28R. Winds aloft were blowing the 777 wake south to north away from the flight path of 28L but surface winds were reporting winds out of the north blowing 360 at 10ish knots. As we approached the runway around 500 ft we could see the wake from the 777 which had already landed showing on the water short of 28R. The Captain recommended going a little high on the glide slope to avoid any wake which I started to do. We also mentioned going around if the wake drifted any closer to our approach path since the winds on the ground were out of the north. At 150 ft we felt a very slight roll which could have been the wake and but then the air smoothed out and we landed uneventfully.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.