Flight crew heading deviation on approach to avoid wake turbulence. ATC broke off the approach.

Attributes
ACN	305540
Time
Date	199505
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	305540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were in VFR conditions, being vectored on a 25-30 NM right downwind for the localizer runway 24R at lax. We were given a heading of approximately 070 degrees at 2500 ft MSL and 150 KTS. The controller (128.5) flew us out (east) of the class B airspace, then advised us. He then positioned us inbound on the runway 24R localizer to lax, below and behind a heavy B747. We had to ask him if this was his plan and he said yes. We then asked if we could deviate north of course for wake turbulence avoidance. We were 20 NM out on the localizer, in VFR conditions and he said no, not unless we declared an emergency. We were in an unsafe situation that we did not feel good about and he put us there. We asked him for help by allowing us to stay north of the B-747's flight path until he was below us. This would have saved us from a possible sna situation. I was flying the plane and decided to stay 1/2 DOT north of the localizer for our safety. The controller took us off of the approach at about 15-20 NM out, told us that we were not listening to his instructions and gave us a phone number to call. He brought us back around and we landed without any further problem. We called the number and the controller on the other end said that they were following their procedures. He also said that our problem would go no further. I'm filling out this report to make sure. Problem: the basic problem is that every time we fly from sba, or anywhere from the northwest, to lax, we are slowed down so that a heavy aircraft can be put in front and above us. We hit wake turbulence every day because of this. We always expect it between vtu and smo. Then over smo, on downwind and until we land. The main reason for this is because, at any given point along the route, the previous aircraft was above where we were and descending. Eventually we end up in their wake. This affects the crew and passenger and something needs to be done. Solution: bring the smaller aircraft in above the larger aircraft's flight path. This is a safety issue and it needs to be addressed

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC HDG DEV ON APCH TO AVOID WAKE TURB. ATC BROKE OFF THE APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS, BEING VECTORED ON A 25-30 NM R DOWNWIND FOR THE LOC RWY 24R AT LAX. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF APPROX 070 DEGS AT 2500 FT MSL AND 150 KTS. THE CTLR (128.5) FLEW US OUT (E) OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, THEN ADVISED US. HE THEN POSITIONED US INBOUND ON THE RWY 24R LOC TO LAX, BELOW AND BEHIND A HVY B747. WE HAD TO ASK HIM IF THIS WAS HIS PLAN AND HE SAID YES. WE THEN ASKED IF WE COULD DEVIATE N OF COURSE FOR WAKE TURB AVOIDANCE. WE WERE 20 NM OUT ON THE LOC, IN VFR CONDITIONS AND HE SAID NO, NOT UNLESS WE DECLARED AN EMER. WE WERE IN AN UNSAFE SIT THAT WE DID NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT AND HE PUT US THERE. WE ASKED HIM FOR HELP BY ALLOWING US TO STAY N OF THE B-747'S FLT PATH UNTIL HE WAS BELOW US. THIS WOULD HAVE SAVED US FROM A POSSIBLE SNA SIT. I WAS FLYING THE PLANE AND DECIDED TO STAY 1/2 DOT N OF THE LOC FOR OUR SAFETY. THE CTLR TOOK US OFF OF THE APCH AT ABOUT 15-20 NM OUT, TOLD US THAT WE WERE NOT LISTENING TO HIS INSTRUCTIONS AND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. HE BROUGHT US BACK AROUND AND WE LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROB. WE CALLED THE NUMBER AND THE CTLR ON THE OTHER END SAID THAT THEY WERE FOLLOWING THEIR PROCS. HE ALSO SAID THAT OUR PROB WOULD GO NO FURTHER. I'M FILLING OUT THIS RPT TO MAKE SURE. PROB: THE BASIC PROB IS THAT EVERY TIME WE FLY FROM SBA, OR ANYWHERE FROM THE NW, TO LAX, WE ARE SLOWED DOWN SO THAT A HVY ACFT CAN BE PUT IN FRONT AND ABOVE US. WE HIT WAKE TURB EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THIS. WE ALWAYS EXPECT IT BTWN VTU AND SMO. THEN OVER SMO, ON DOWNWIND AND UNTIL WE LAND. THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE, AT ANY GIVEN POINT ALONG THE RTE, THE PREVIOUS ACFT WAS ABOVE WHERE WE WERE AND DSNDING. EVENTUALLY WE END UP IN THEIR WAKE. THIS AFFECTS THE CREW AND PAX AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. SOLUTION: BRING THE SMALLER ACFT IN ABOVE THE LARGER ACFT'S FLT PATH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED

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.