Narrative:

Winds were reported calm. Cleared for visual approach to runway 26R atl, 3 1/2 mi in trail of a B757. As we got established on the localizer and GS, the B757 appeared to be high and making steeper than normal approach. We configured and began to slow to final approach speed. Crossing the marker, we encountered a slight amount of turbulence (choppy air) and I elected to fly 1 DOT high on the GS. At approximately 1000 ft AGL, we encountered the B757's wake and our MD88 began rolling to the right approximately 30 degrees. As I began to put control inputs to stop the roll, the aircraft sharply rolled back to the left to approximately 30 degrees of bank and pitched down. I immediately executed a go around, simultaneously applying pitch and power, as well as hitting toga buttons and proceeded to get out of there. As our aircraft began climbing and we left the wake turbulence, the captain took the aircraft from me, reduced power to around idle, and directed the airplane back towards the glide path and proceeded with a normal landing. Why? An uneventful landing was performed. (He returned control of the aircraft to me on short final and was prepared to make another go around if necessary.) I believe the decision to try to land after starting a go around from this wake encounter was terrible on his part. Once at the gate, several passenger were upset and made comments to the effect of being scared to death. The captain never offered an explanation to the passenger nor to myself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MD88 ENCOUNTERS WAKE TURB ON APCH 3 PT 5 MI IN TRAIL OF A B757. ACFT ROLLS 30 DEGS TO THE R THEN ROLLS 30 DEGS TO THE L AS THE FO BEGINS A GAR. CAPT TAKES OVER CTL AND CONFIGURES AGAIN FOR LNDG.

Narrative: WINDS WERE RPTED CALM. CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R ATL, 3 1/2 MI IN TRAIL OF A B757. AS WE GOT ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AND GS, THE B757 APPEARED TO BE HIGH AND MAKING STEEPER THAN NORMAL APCH. WE CONFIGURED AND BEGAN TO SLOW TO FINAL APCH SPD. XING THE MARKER, WE ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF TURB (CHOPPY AIR) AND I ELECTED TO FLY 1 DOT HIGH ON THE GS. AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL, WE ENCOUNTERED THE B757'S WAKE AND OUR MD88 BEGAN ROLLING TO THE R APPROX 30 DEGS. AS I BEGAN TO PUT CTL INPUTS TO STOP THE ROLL, THE ACFT SHARPLY ROLLED BACK TO THE L TO APPROX 30 DEGS OF BANK AND PITCHED DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A GAR, SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING PITCH AND PWR, AS WELL AS HITTING TOGA BUTTONS AND PROCEEDED TO GET OUT OF THERE. AS OUR ACFT BEGAN CLBING AND WE LEFT THE WAKE TURB, THE CAPT TOOK THE ACFT FROM ME, REDUCED PWR TO AROUND IDLE, AND DIRECTED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARDS THE GLIDE PATH AND PROCEEDED WITH A NORMAL LNDG. WHY? AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS PERFORMED. (HE RETURNED CTL OF THE ACFT TO ME ON SHORT FINAL AND WAS PREPARED TO MAKE ANOTHER GAR IF NECESSARY.) I BELIEVE THE DECISION TO TRY TO LAND AFTER STARTING A GAR FROM THIS WAKE ENCOUNTER WAS TERRIBLE ON HIS PART. ONCE AT THE GATE, SEVERAL PAX WERE UPSET AND MADE COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT OF BEING SCARED TO DEATH. THE CAPT NEVER OFFERED AN EXPLANATION TO THE PAX NOR TO MYSELF.

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.