EMB120 FLC ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB ON APCH IN TRAIL OF A B767. ACFT EXCEEDED G FORCE PARAMETERS AND WAS REMOVED FROM SVC FOR INSPECTION.

Date: 1997-11 · Aircraft: Brasilia EMB-120 All Series · Phase: approach

Anomalies: inflight-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown|other-unspecified

Synopsis

EMB120 FLC ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB ON APCH IN TRAIL OF A B767. ACFT EXCEEDED G FORCE PARAMETERS AND WAS REMOVED FROM SVC FOR INSPECTION.

Narrative

AS IS THEIR NORMAL OPERATIONAL PROC; ATL APCH HAD US JOINING FINAL WITH A LEGALLY REQUIRED SPACING BEHIND A B767; BUT 1000 FT BELOW THEIR FLT PATH WITH WINDS DIRECTLY OFF THE NOSE (270 DEGS; 13 KTS; GUSTING TO 18 KTS). THIS PUTS US 6 MI BEHIND AND DIRECTLY BELOW A HVY JET. JUST PRIOR TO GS INTERCEPT; ACFT EXPERIENCES A PRESTALL BUFFET WHILE INDICATING 170 KTS. IMMEDIATE INCREASE IN PWR; BUT L WING DID STALL AND ACFT ROLLED VIOLENTLY L AND PITCHED NOSE DOWN. AMOUNT OF ALT LOSS UNKNOWN. FULL OPPOSITE RUDDER AND AILERON AND FULL PWR FINALLY BROUGHT WINGS LEVEL. JUST AS ACFT BEGAN TO STABILIZE AND CLB; R WING ENTERED SOME WAKE AND CAUSED VIOLENT ROLL R AND PITCH DOWN. AFTER STABILIZING; CREW TURNED ACFT 90 DEGS L; HDG 180 DEGS; AND INITIATED FULL PWR GAR. ACFT WAS GNDED BY MAINT AFTER LNDG AND UNDERWENT TURB INSPECTIONS AND ENG LIMITATION CHK. NO ENG PARAMETERS EXCEEDED; UNKNOWN OUTCOME ON TURB INSPECTION. SUBSEQUENT PHONE CALL TO ATL TWR UNSATISFACTORY. NO VALID OR REASONABLE EXPLANATION OFFERED AS TO WHY ATL CONTINUES THIS PRACTICE OF PUTTING COMMUTER ACFT IN TRAIL AT ALTS BELOW LARGE OR HVY ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THIS WAS A VERY DISTURBING EXPERIENCE AND HE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT AN ALT BELOW A JET ACFT WHEN ON APCH. HE FEELS THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE TO BRING THE JETS IN BELOW THE TURBOPROPS INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT PROC OF KEEPING THE SMALLER ACFT LOW. HIS COMPANY TALKED TO THE TWR SUPVR REGARDING THIS INCIDENT WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS. THE COMPANY SAFETY OFFICER WORKED WITH UNION AND TOOK THE INCIDENT TO WASHINGTON; DC. THEN IT CAME BACK TO THE TWR CHIEF WHO INDICATED THERE WAS TRAINING AT THE TIME. HOWEVER; THIS HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE AT ATL; NOT THE EXCEPTION. THE ACFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE EXCEEDED G TOLERANCES AND WAS GNDED FOR INSPECTION. PAX WERE VERY UPSET AND DISTRESSED AND 1 TEENAGER WENT ABSOLUTELY BALLISTIC WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.

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