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Pilot refused to be spaced slightly behind a boeing 757 at night on a parallel approach as a wake avoidance strategy.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 281282 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199408 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2500 |
| ASRS Report | 281282 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Flying the big sur arrival to sfo, was given 'cross 30 mi south of sfo at 10000 ft and 250 KTS' (oak DME was out-of-service). After being cleared for the visual to runway 28L, approach said, 'you have traffic at 2 O'clock for the right. Report him in sight.' I said, 'I have several lights. What type aircraft?' approach said, 'a 757.' I replied, 'I don't want to be behind him.' approach said, ' if you don't report the traffic, I'll have to break you out.' I said, ' I have traffic at 2 O'clock.' approach said, 'that's him. Slow to 150 KTS and maintain visual separation. You are slightly behind.' I replied, 'I don't want to be behind him.' approach said, 'increase to 180 KTS.' I did so, got in front of the 757, and made an uneventful landing. The intentional sequencing behind a 757 for capacity enhancement, given the documented data concerning 757 wake vortices is irresponsible and unsafe.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT REFUSED TO BE SPACED SLIGHTLY BEHIND A BOEING 757 AT NIGHT ON A PARALLEL APCH AS A WAKE AVOIDANCE STRATEGY.
Narrative: FLYING THE BIG SUR ARR TO SFO, WAS GIVEN 'CROSS 30 MI S OF SFO AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS' (OAK DME WAS OUT-OF-SVC). AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 28L, APCH SAID, 'YOU HAVE TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK FOR THE R. RPT HIM IN SIGHT.' I SAID, 'I HAVE SEVERAL LIGHTS. WHAT TYPE ACFT?' APCH SAID, 'A 757.' I REPLIED, 'I DON'T WANT TO BE BEHIND HIM.' APCH SAID, ' IF YOU DON'T RPT THE TFC, I'LL HAVE TO BREAK YOU OUT.' I SAID, ' I HAVE TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK.' APCH SAID, 'THAT'S HIM. SLOW TO 150 KTS AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. YOU ARE SLIGHTLY BEHIND.' I REPLIED, 'I DON'T WANT TO BE BEHIND HIM.' APCH SAID, 'INCREASE TO 180 KTS.' I DID SO, GOT IN FRONT OF THE 757, AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. THE INTENTIONAL SEQUENCING BEHIND A 757 FOR CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT, GIVEN THE DOCUMENTED DATA CONCERNING 757 WAKE VORTICES IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNSAFE.
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.