Narrative:

Arriving phx from the west. Cleared visual to runway 8L. Approximately 15 DME west, given a vector for downwind leg for runway 26L. We were cleared to a heading of 360 degrees (crosswind) after identing other inbound traffic. After turn to base, he cleared us visual behind a 300-600. We rolled out on final with power back to slow and configure and found ourselves in severe wake turbulence and too close to the A300. It required maximum power and a turn back to downwind to recover. The A300 must have been much slower than us. We advised tower of our intentions and they responded 'you're not supposed to do that.' we continued to a downwind and were reclred to land. As we rolled out on final, it was noted that the A300 was just landing. The spacing had been much to close. Controller had a third aircraft that he landed on runway 26R. I think that the controller misjudged our speed and the speed of the A300 traffic and just set us up too close. Since it was night, it was difficult from our position to judge other aircraft's speed and distance. This event occurred very early in the morning prior to sunrise and during a very slow period for traffic. Supplemental information from acn 288729: surface winds favored landing on runway 26L&right but were light enough that runway 8R would be within our 727-200 performance limits. We were asked if we had the company airbus (A300-600F) in sight. We were given a turn which pointed us right at the airbus. We encountered severe wake turbulence. We were as slow as we could go and would have to break off the approach. The A300 was approximately 3 mi ahead. I asked the tower if we could make a 360 degree turn and come back to land and was told 'you're not supposed to do that!' he let us do it anyway. Contributing factors: lack of familiarity with aircraft. We could easily have landed on runway 8R and cleared before the A300.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WAKE TURB, B727 BEHIND A300-600.

Narrative: ARRIVING PHX FROM THE W. CLRED VISUAL TO RWY 8L. APPROX 15 DME W, GIVEN A VECTOR FOR DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 26L. WE WERE CLRED TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS (XWIND) AFTER IDENTING OTHER INBOUND TFC. AFTER TURN TO BASE, HE CLRED US VISUAL BEHIND A 300-600. WE ROLLED OUT ON FINAL WITH PWR BACK TO SLOW AND CONFIGURE AND FOUND OURSELVES IN SEVERE WAKE TURB AND TOO CLOSE TO THE A300. IT REQUIRED MAX PWR AND A TURN BACK TO DOWNWIND TO RECOVER. THE A300 MUST HAVE BEEN MUCH SLOWER THAN US. WE ADVISED TWR OF OUR INTENTIONS AND THEY RESPONDED 'YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT.' WE CONTINUED TO A DOWNWIND AND WERE RECLRED TO LAND. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON FINAL, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE A300 WAS JUST LNDG. THE SPACING HAD BEEN MUCH TO CLOSE. CTLR HAD A THIRD ACFT THAT HE LANDED ON RWY 26R. I THINK THAT THE CTLR MISJUDGED OUR SPD AND THE SPD OF THE A300 TFC AND JUST SET US UP TOO CLOSE. SINCE IT WAS NIGHT, IT WAS DIFFICULT FROM OUR POS TO JUDGE OTHER ACFT'S SPD AND DISTANCE. THIS EVENT OCCURRED VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING PRIOR TO SUNRISE AND DURING A VERY SLOW PERIOD FOR TFC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 288729: SURFACE WINDS FAVORED LNDG ON RWY 26L&R BUT WERE LIGHT ENOUGH THAT RWY 8R WOULD BE WITHIN OUR 727-200 PERFORMANCE LIMITS. WE WERE ASKED IF WE HAD THE COMPANY AIRBUS (A300-600F) IN SIGHT. WE WERE GIVEN A TURN WHICH POINTED US RIGHT AT THE AIRBUS. WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WAKE TURB. WE WERE AS SLOW AS WE COULD GO AND WOULD HAVE TO BREAK OFF THE APCH. THE A300 WAS APPROX 3 MI AHEAD. I ASKED THE TWR IF WE COULD MAKE A 360 DEG TURN AND COME BACK TO LAND AND WAS TOLD 'YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!' HE LET US DO IT ANYWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH ACFT. WE COULD EASILY HAVE LANDED ON RWY 8R AND CLRED BEFORE THE A300.

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.