Narrative:

A piper navajo chieftan, (PA31-350) was on visual approach to runway 18, bethel, ak, following a B727. The B727 made a normal, uneventful landing and was in the process of taxiing clear of the active runway when the bethel tower controller requested the navajo 'go around and maintain runway heading' due to traffic still on the runway. I complied with the tower controller's request and applied power and began a go around from 200 ft, when my aircraft was 'rocked' by the wingtip vortices of the already landed B727. Wind at the time was reported by bethel ATIS as 'calm.' my PA31-350 aircraft entered an uncommanded right bank of 60 degrees and 'I was pulled forward and right abruptly.' I confirmed that both engines were making full power. I applied opposite aileron input to counteract the uncommanded bank. I was unable to escape the effects of the wingtip vortices. I exited the vortex approximately 800 ft horizontal later. Upon exiting the vortices the airplane accelerated, and I felt pressure in the controls. The airplane wings leveled, and then the aircraft entered a second uncommanded bank of 20-30 degrees this time to the left. At approximately 1/4 the way down the runway, I regained complete control. I reestablished runway heading and centerline. The bethel tower controller apologized and requested that I join left downwind, cleared to land following a twin otter (dhc-6). I followed the request and landed safely. Upon taxiing clear of the active runway the bethel tower/ground controller asked 'is everyone ok?' I replied 'yes.' upon reaching the parking area, the aircraft engines are shut down, I once again checked with the passenger to reconfirm that everybody was ok. I discovered that there were no injuries. When the tower gave me clearance to land I looked to see where the B727 was on his approach. At the time I felt I was far enough behind the B727 to limit my exposure to his wake turbulence. Obviously this was incorrect. I will definitely in the future give the B727 more room, even if that means not accepting a landing clearance as given.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WAKE VORTEX ENCOUNTER AND LOSS OF ACFT CTL IN A PA31-350 WHEN THE PLT IS TOLD BY TWR CTLR TO GO AROUND BECAUSE LNDG B727 HAD NOT YET CLRED RWY 18 AT PABE, AK.

Narrative: A PIPER NAVAJO CHIEFTAN, (PA31-350) WAS ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18, BETHEL, AK, FOLLOWING A B727. THE B727 MADE A NORMAL, UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAXIING CLR OF THE ACTIVE RWY WHEN THE BETHEL TWR CTLR REQUESTED THE NAVAJO 'GO AROUND AND MAINTAIN RWY HEADING' DUE TO TFC STILL ON THE RWY. I COMPLIED WITH THE TWR CTLR'S REQUEST AND APPLIED PWR AND BEGAN A GAR FROM 200 FT, WHEN MY ACFT WAS 'ROCKED' BY THE WINGTIP VORTICES OF THE ALREADY LANDED B727. WIND AT THE TIME WAS RPTED BY BETHEL ATIS AS 'CALM.' MY PA31-350 ACFT ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED R BANK OF 60 DEGS AND 'I WAS PULLED FORWARD AND R ABRUPTLY.' I CONFIRMED THAT BOTH ENGS WERE MAKING FULL PWR. I APPLIED OPPOSITE AILERON INPUT TO COUNTERACT THE UNCOMMANDED BANK. I WAS UNABLE TO ESCAPE THE EFFECTS OF THE WINGTIP VORTICES. I EXITED THE VORTEX APPROX 800 FT HORIZ LATER. UPON EXITING THE VORTICES THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED, AND I FELT PRESSURE IN THE CTLS. THE AIRPLANE WINGS LEVELED, AND THEN THE ACFT ENTERED A SECOND UNCOMMANDED BANK OF 20-30 DEGS THIS TIME TO THE L. AT APPROX 1/4 THE WAY DOWN THE RWY, I REGAINED COMPLETE CTL. I REESTABLISHED RWY HEADING AND CTRLINE. THE BETHEL TWR CTLR APOLOGIZED AND REQUESTED THAT I JOIN L DOWNWIND, CLRED TO LAND FOLLOWING A TWIN OTTER (DHC-6). I FOLLOWED THE REQUEST AND LANDED SAFELY. UPON TAXIING CLR OF THE ACTIVE RWY THE BETHEL TWR/GND CTLR ASKED 'IS EVERYONE OK?' I REPLIED 'YES.' UPON REACHING THE PARKING AREA, THE ACFT ENGS ARE SHUT DOWN, I ONCE AGAIN CHKED WITH THE PAX TO RECONFIRM THAT EVERYBODY WAS OK. I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES. WHEN THE TWR GAVE ME CLRNC TO LAND I LOOKED TO SEE WHERE THE B727 WAS ON HIS APCH. AT THE TIME I FELT I WAS FAR ENOUGH BEHIND THE B727 TO LIMIT MY EXPOSURE TO HIS WAKE TURB. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS INCORRECT. I WILL DEFINITELY IN THE FUTURE GIVE THE B727 MORE ROOM, EVEN IF THAT MEANS NOT ACCEPTING A LNDG CLRNC AS GIVEN.

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.