Narrative:

Takeoff runway 1L sfo on sfo 8 departure, right turn to 030 degrees. After liftoff runway 1L sfo, first officer started turn at +/-20 degree bank to 030 degrees. Passing 600 ft, aircraft encountered wake turbulence from preceding B757. In an instant, our B737 went from 20 degree right bank, 18 degrees nose up and V2 +20 KTS to 15 degree left bank, 22.5 degrees nose up and airspeed decaying to V2. First officer recovered by lowering nose and leveling wings. Airspeed climbed to V2 +20 KTS and slight climb. Retracted flaps 5 degrees to 1 degree and VNAV. I informed departure that we encountered wingtip vortices and ended up on 010 degrees heading climbing through 2000 ft, departure immediately asked why we had not coordinated change in heading with him. He alluded to possible traffic conflict with oak departures if they were present. I very slowly informed him we did not have a choice, we encountered very sudden aircraft control problem with advent of uncontrolled roll, etc. He then suggested in the future we consider a right turn to escape a similar situation to avoid possible ATC clearance deviation. At this point it was apparent to us that departure did not understand that we did not intentionally deviation and we were in the process of turning to 030 degrees. Handoff to oak was normal. I thanked departure controller for his understanding.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACR OFF SFO BEHIND B757 ON SAME DEP PROC ENCOUNTERS SEVERE WAKE TURB.

Narrative: TKOF RWY 1L SFO ON SFO 8 DEP, R TURN TO 030 DEGS. AFTER LIFTOFF RWY 1L SFO, FO STARTED TURN AT +/-20 DEG BANK TO 030 DEGS. PASSING 600 FT, ACFT ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB FROM PRECEDING B757. IN AN INSTANT, OUR B737 WENT FROM 20 DEG R BANK, 18 DEGS NOSE UP AND V2 +20 KTS TO 15 DEG L BANK, 22.5 DEGS NOSE UP AND AIRSPD DECAYING TO V2. FO RECOVERED BY LOWERING NOSE AND LEVELING WINGS. AIRSPD CLBED TO V2 +20 KTS AND SLIGHT CLB. RETRACTED FLAPS 5 DEGS TO 1 DEG AND VNAV. I INFORMED DEP THAT WE ENCOUNTERED WINGTIP VORTICES AND ENDED UP ON 010 DEGS HDG CLBING THROUGH 2000 FT, DEP IMMEDIATELY ASKED WHY WE HAD NOT COORDINATED CHANGE IN HDG WITH HIM. HE ALLUDED TO POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT WITH OAK DEPS IF THEY WERE PRESENT. I VERY SLOWLY INFORMED HIM WE DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE, WE ENCOUNTERED VERY SUDDEN ACFT CTL PROB WITH ADVENT OF UNCTLED ROLL, ETC. HE THEN SUGGESTED IN THE FUTURE WE CONSIDER A R TURN TO ESCAPE A SIMILAR SIT TO AVOID POSSIBLE ATC CLRNC DEV. AT THIS POINT IT WAS APPARENT TO US THAT DEP DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID NOT INTENTIONALLY DEV AND WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING TO 030 DEGS. HDOF TO OAK WAS NORMAL. I THANKED DEP CTLR FOR HIS UNDERSTANDING.

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.