Small aircraft in wake encounter on IMC approach.

Attributes
ACN	261982
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	261982
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : regained aircraft control other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 48000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Rno WX E16 overcast 2 southwest-F 3211/001. Rno approach vectored me onto final approach course localizer DME back course 34L 9000 ft MSL and had me contact rno tower. I had the needle, and approximately 600 FPM descent rate. Nearing 7000 ft MSL aircraft rolled 60 degrees and rate of descent increased to 1500 plus FPM. I recovered to wings level and reduced rate of descent to under 500 FPM. Localizer needle was full deflection. I made left turn 25 degrees to intercept localizer. At that time tower asked if I had airport. I replied I did not. Tower instructed me to do a missed approach and handed me off to approach for a vector back to IAF. 2ND approach was uneventful. I did not report the upset. I just kept flying (the md-80 was 8 mi ahead?). I believe I was turned in behind a md-80 on approach in front of me. I believe I encountered wingtip vortices causing an upset. In-flight conditions until the loss of control were light turbulence and heavy snow showers on the approach. Conditions were less than half of reported values on breakout. A commuter pilot reported connecting activity? On (climb out of reno 2 hours earlier) in swu.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN WAKE ENCOUNTER ON IMC APCH.

Narrative: RNO WX E16 OVCST 2 SW-F 3211/001. RNO APCH VECTORED ME ONTO FINAL APCH COURSE LOC DME BC 34L 9000 FT MSL AND HAD ME CONTACT RNO TWR. I HAD THE NEEDLE, AND APPROX 600 FPM DSCNT RATE. NEARING 7000 FT MSL ACFT ROLLED 60 DEGS AND RATE OF DSCNT INCREASED TO 1500 PLUS FPM. I RECOVERED TO WINGS LEVEL AND REDUCED RATE OF DSCNT TO UNDER 500 FPM. LOC NEEDLE WAS FULL DEFLECTION. I MADE L TURN 25 DEGS TO INTERCEPT LOC. AT THAT TIME TWR ASKED IF I HAD ARPT. I REPLIED I DID NOT. TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO DO A MISSED APCH AND HANDED ME OFF TO APCH FOR A VECTOR BACK TO IAF. 2ND APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. I DID NOT RPT THE UPSET. I JUST KEPT FLYING (THE MD-80 WAS 8 MI AHEAD?). I BELIEVE I WAS TURNED IN BEHIND A MD-80 ON APCH IN FRONT OF ME. I BELIEVE I ENCOUNTERED WINGTIP VORTICES CAUSING AN UPSET. INFLT CONDITIONS UNTIL THE LOSS OF CTL WERE LIGHT TURB AND HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS ON THE APCH. CONDITIONS WERE LESS THAN HALF OF RPTED VALUES ON BREAKOUT. A COMMUTER PLT RPTED CONNECTING ACTIVITY? ON (CLB OUT OF RENO 2 HRS EARLIER) IN SWU.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.