Narrative:

Air carrier X B727, was on a 3 1/2 mi final to runway 26R. I cleared air carrier Y, B757, for takeoff and issued the closest traffic on final. Air carrier Y was approximately 9000 ft down the runway and 50 ft or more off the ground when air carrier X crossed the approach end of the runway. The air carrier X pilot repeatedly asked questions about the 4 mi wake turbulence separation from B757's. I informed the air carrier X pilot that was for aircraft following a B757 in-flight, 2 departures, or 2 arrs. The air carrier X pilot disagreed and felt I should provide 4 mi separation between his landing aircraft and the departing B757. This exchange tied up frequency time, although traffic was only light to moderate. The X pilot later accused me of endangering his aircraft. I replied I would continue to follow FAA guidelines and rules, which in this case was the lead aircraft being at least 6000 ft down the runway and airborne before the landing aircraft crosses the threshold. Because the lead aircraft was a heavy or a B757 I am required to issue a 'caution wake turbulence' advisory to the trail aircraft, which air carrier X acknowledged after the second try. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the captain called the tower and berated the reporter for not using standard separation and endangering the lives of the passenger. Reporter again stated separation standards on the phone and pilot said he was going to turn the controller into his chief pilot for follow up action. Reporter said the captain disrupted ATC service by his comments on the frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X LNDG BEHIND B757 QUESTIONS WAKE TURB SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACR X B727, WAS ON A 3 1/2 MI FINAL TO RWY 26R. I CLRED ACR Y, B757, FOR TKOF AND ISSUED THE CLOSEST TFC ON FINAL. ACR Y WAS APPROX 9000 FT DOWN THE RWY AND 50 FT OR MORE OFF THE GND WHEN ACR X CROSSED THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE ACR X PLT REPEATEDLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 4 MI WAKE TURB SEPARATION FROM B757'S. I INFORMED THE ACR X PLT THAT WAS FOR ACFT FOLLOWING A B757 INFLT, 2 DEPS, OR 2 ARRS. THE ACR X PLT DISAGREED AND FELT I SHOULD PROVIDE 4 MI SEPARATION BTWN HIS LNDG ACFT AND THE DEPARTING B757. THIS EXCHANGE TIED UP FREQ TIME, ALTHOUGH TFC WAS ONLY LIGHT TO MODERATE. THE X PLT LATER ACCUSED ME OF ENDANGERING HIS ACFT. I REPLIED I WOULD CONTINUE TO FOLLOW FAA GUIDELINES AND RULES, WHICH IN THIS CASE WAS THE LEAD ACFT BEING AT LEAST 6000 FT DOWN THE RWY AND AIRBORNE BEFORE THE LNDG ACFT CROSSES THE THRESHOLD. BECAUSE THE LEAD ACFT WAS A HVY OR A B757 I AM REQUIRED TO ISSUE A 'CAUTION WAKE TURB' ADVISORY TO THE TRAIL ACFT, WHICH ACR X ACKNOWLEDGED AFTER THE SECOND TRY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR AND BERATED THE RPTR FOR NOT USING STANDARD SEPARATION AND ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF THE PAX. RPTR AGAIN STATED SEPARATION STANDARDS ON THE PHONE AND PLT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TURN THE CTLR INTO HIS CHIEF PLT FOR FOLLOW UP ACTION. RPTR SAID THE CAPT DISRUPTED ATC SVC BY HIS COMMENTS ON THE FREQ.

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.