727 FLC EXPERIENCES WAKE TURB BEHIND AN MD80 ON APCH.

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RIVER VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18 DCA; FOLLOWING MD80. AT ABOUT 300-500 FT JUST BEFORE THE LAST TURN TO LINE UP OVER THE POTOMAC RIVER; THE ACFT STARTED A L BANK; WHICH I ATTEMPTED IMMEDIATELY TO COUNTER WITH R AILERON. THE L ROLL CONTINUED AS I PUT IN MORE R AILERON. FINALLY; JUST AS I HAD THE YOKE AT 90 DEGS AND STARTED TO APPLY R RUDDER (BUT HAD NOT) THE ACFT RETURNED TO WINGS LEVEL. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY ENTER A R BANK TO LINE UP WITH THE RWY. THE THOUGHT WENT THROUGH MY MIND; HOW EMBARRASSING TO WIPE OUT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT AS WE SLIDE INTO THE WHITE HOUSE. I WAS SURPRISED THAT AN MD80 COULD EXERT THIS AMOUNT OF FORCE ON A 727. I HAD NEVER BEFORE SEEN A 727 DO THIS. ANOTHER EVENT IN 1973.; SOLO FLYING CESSNA SKYMASTER 0-2A TO A FULL STOP LNDG AT WILLOW GROVE NAS; RWY 32. I WAS FOLLOWING A LOCKHEED P-3 DOING TOUCH-AND- GOES. I THOUGHT HE WAS WELL CLR AS HE WAS MAKING A R TURN FOR ANOTHER DOWNWIND. AT ABOUT 70 FT OVER THE RWY THE ACFT BANKED HARD AND FAST TO THE L; AND IT WAS TURNING. NO AMOUNT OF AILERON WOULD STOP THE 60-70 DEG BANK. I SAW THE POINT MY WINGTIP WOULD STRIKE THE GRASS BTWN THE RWY AND TXWY AND VISUALIZED THE CARTWHEEL THAT WOULD TAKE ME THROUGH THE MARINE CORP HELIS. I STOOD ON THE R RUDDER AND JUST BEFORE THE WINGTIP HIT; I RETURNED TO WINGS LEVEL. I MUST HAVE COME WITHIN 2 FT OF A SOD LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ENCOUNTER WAS NOT ABRUPT BUT SLOW AND INSIDIOUS WHICH IS WHY HE FELT HE COULD CORRECT WITH AILERON. HE NOW FEELS HE SHOULD HAVE USED RUDDER EARLIER. HE STATES THAT IS WHAT SAVED HIM IN THE INCIDENT HE CITES WITH THE CESSNA SKYMASTER. THE MOST SURPRISING THING TO RPTR WAS THAT HE WOULD EVEN GET WAKE TURB BEHIND AN MD80. HE HAS BEEN BEHIND THEM MANY TIMES WITH NO ADVERSE EFFECT. HIS NEW PHILOSOPHY IS THAT NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF ACFT ONE IS FOLLOWING ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF WAKE TURB. HIS NORMAL PROC WHEN HE GETS AN ATC ADVISORY OF SPACING IS TO CHK AGAINST THE TCASII AND THEN MAINTAIN THAT DISTANCE TO KEEP THE SPACING.