Narrative:

While on approach to runway 22 lga approximately 10 NM from airport, encountered severe turbulence encounter while following a B727 approximately 4 1/2 - 5 NM ahead on TCASII. Aircraft suddenly encountered a rapid 15 degree nose down pitch attitude followed by a 40-45 degree roll to left. Autoplt disengaged, and both crew members immediately took action to recover the aircraft. The event occurred without warning. Any loose items that were not stowed were thrown about rapidly. Prior to the encounter, flight attendant was taking her seat when she was thrown about the cabin. After recovery and back in level flight, the flight attendant called the cockpit and informed the crew that she was injured. The flight landed without incident at lga and after landing called for medical personnel to meet the aircraft upon arrival at the gate. A maintenance writeup was made that the aircraft had encountered severe turbulence. It is my opinion that the B727 we were following 4 1/2 - 5 NM ahead initiated the wake turbulence. It is my opinion that adequate separation was provided by ATC. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he was flying a dash 8. He did not know of anything he would do differently. The only indication that he was about to be in the wake was a slight ripple. He thought the spacing was consistent with the new standards and was adequate. He said the wake encounter lasted about 5 seconds and he lost about 350 ft in 2 seconds and he made a go around.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON APCH TO RWY 22 LGA APPROX 10 NM FROM LGA 4-5 MI BEHIND A B727 THE RPTR ENCOUNTERED A RAPID 15 DEG NOSE DOWN PITCH, FOLLOWED BY A 40 DEG ROLL TO THE L. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED AND BOTH CREW MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY TOOK ACTION TO RECOVER THE ACFT. THE EVENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH TO RWY 22 LGA APPROX 10 NM FROM ARPT, ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB ENCOUNTER WHILE FOLLOWING A B727 APPROX 4 1/2 - 5 NM AHEAD ON TCASII. ACFT SUDDENLY ENCOUNTERED A RAPID 15 DEG NOSE DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE FOLLOWED BY A 40-45 DEG ROLL TO L. AUTOPLT DISENGAGED, AND BOTH CREW MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY TOOK ACTION TO RECOVER THE ACFT. THE EVENT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. ANY LOOSE ITEMS THAT WERE NOT STOWED WERE THROWN ABOUT RAPIDLY. PRIOR TO THE ENCOUNTER, FLT ATTENDANT WAS TAKING HER SEAT WHEN SHE WAS THROWN ABOUT THE CABIN. AFTER RECOVERY AND BACK IN LEVEL FLT, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT AND INFORMED THE CREW THAT SHE WAS INJURED. THE FLT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT LGA AND AFTER LNDG CALLED FOR MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO MEET THE ACFT UPON ARR AT THE GATE. A MAINT WRITEUP WAS MADE THAT THE ACFT HAD ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE B727 WE WERE FOLLOWING 4 1/2 - 5 NM AHEAD INITIATED THE WAKE TURB. IT IS MY OPINION THAT ADEQUATE SEPARATION WAS PROVIDED BY ATC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS FLYING A DASH 8. HE DID NOT KNOW OF ANYTHING HE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY. THE ONLY INDICATION THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO BE IN THE WAKE WAS A SLIGHT RIPPLE. HE THOUGHT THE SPACING WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE NEW STANDARDS AND WAS ADEQUATE. HE SAID THE WAKE ENCOUNTER LASTED ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND HE LOST ABOUT 350 FT IN 2 SECONDS AND HE MADE A GAR.

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.