Flight crew of S80 encounters wake turbulence following 5 mi in trail of an L1011. Reporter maintain...

Attributes
ACN	389800
Time
Date	199712
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	L-1011 Tri-Star All Series
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	389800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ATC facility: socal approach. Location: lax localizer 109.9/ 9 NM. Approach runway 25R lax. Following L1011. Approximately 9 mi and 5 mi behind, we encountered wake vortex strong enough to require significant aileron then lots of rudder to keep our aircraft under control. We were already 2 dots high because of previous nibbles on the GS at 1 DOT high. Santa ana tailwind conditions were present. Lax wind at 060 degrees/9 KTS. VMC. Continued approach. No further incidents to report. I must say this incident did scare me a bit. I am thankful for the company training as well as recurrent unusual attitude training. The rudders worked great. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he felt 'nibbles' of the wake problem when 52 mi out so he moved up from 1 DOT to 2 dots above GS. He was quite surprised when this was not enough. He feels the tailwind condition contributed to the wake remaining for so long behind the L1011. The aircraft was back under control in about 3-5 seconds. He feels there should be greater in trail separation when tailwind conditions exist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF S80 ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB FOLLOWING 5 MI IN TRAIL OF AN L1011. RPTR MAINTAINED 2 DOTS ABOVE GS AS HE WAS AWARE OF THE TFC AND HAD FELT 'NIBBLES' OF THE WAKE WHEN HE WAS 1 DOT HIGH. A 45 DEG BANK OCCURRED BEFORE THEY COULD BRING ACFT UNDER CTL.

Narrative: ATC FACILITY: SOCAL APCH. LOCATION: LAX LOC 109.9/ 9 NM. APCH RWY 25R LAX. FOLLOWING L1011. APPROX 9 MI AND 5 MI BEHIND, WE ENCOUNTERED WAKE VORTEX STRONG ENOUGH TO REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT AILERON THEN LOTS OF RUDDER TO KEEP OUR ACFT UNDER CTL. WE WERE ALREADY 2 DOTS HIGH BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS NIBBLES ON THE GS AT 1 DOT HIGH. SANTA ANA TAILWIND CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT. LAX WIND AT 060 DEGS/9 KTS. VMC. CONTINUED APCH. NO FURTHER INCIDENTS TO RPT. I MUST SAY THIS INCIDENT DID SCARE ME A BIT. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE COMPANY TRAINING AS WELL AS RECURRENT UNUSUAL ATTITUDE TRAINING. THE RUDDERS WORKED GREAT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE FELT 'NIBBLES' OF THE WAKE PROB WHEN 52 MI OUT SO HE MOVED UP FROM 1 DOT TO 2 DOTS ABOVE GS. HE WAS QUITE SURPRISED WHEN THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH. HE FEELS THE TAILWIND CONDITION CONTRIBUTED TO THE WAKE REMAINING FOR SO LONG BEHIND THE L1011. THE ACFT WAS BACK UNDER CTL IN ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS. HE FEELS THERE SHOULD BE GREATER IN TRAIL SEPARATION WHEN TAILWIND CONDITIONS EXIST.

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.

Flight crew of S80 encounters wake turbulence following 5 mi in trail of an L1011. Reporter maintained 2 dots above GS as he was aware of the traffic and had felt 'nibbles' of the wake when he was 1 DOT high. A 45 degree bank occurred before they could bring aircraft under control.