A CL65 encountered wake turbulence with loss of control following an airbus on a 4 NM dca final.

Attributes
ACN	678069
Time
Date	200511
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 3650
ASRS Report	678069
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : wake turbulence non adherence : clearance other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Aircraft
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Approach put us in trail of an airbus. We were doing 20 KTS faster than the airbus but approach said to maintain airspeed. I slowed when we got to 4 mi in trail of the airbus. At 5.0 mi I configured flaps 45 degrees and called for a checklist. At that instant the aircraft rolled 30-45 degrees to the right; followed a second later by a roll of 30-45 degrees back to the left. After the second roll; I was able to re-grab the yoke (it was pried from my hands in the roll). I disconnected the autoplt and initiated an s-turn to the right and had the first officer inform dca tower that we had encountered wake turbulence and were turning right to avoid. The tower's response was; 'you are following an airbus; it's not wake turbulence.' we were able to do 1 s-turn and continued the approach and landing normally. Passenger were screaming; however; none were physically injured. I did lose control of the aircraft for 2-3 seconds during the wake turbulence encounter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB WITH LOSS OF CTL FOLLOWING AN AIRBUS ON A 4 NM DCA FINAL.

Narrative: APCH PUT US IN TRAIL OF AN AIRBUS. WE WERE DOING 20 KTS FASTER THAN THE AIRBUS BUT APCH SAID TO MAINTAIN AIRSPD. I SLOWED WHEN WE GOT TO 4 MI IN TRAIL OF THE AIRBUS. AT 5.0 MI I CONFIGURED FLAPS 45 DEGS AND CALLED FOR A CHKLIST. AT THAT INSTANT THE ACFT ROLLED 30-45 DEGS TO THE R; FOLLOWED A SECOND LATER BY A ROLL OF 30-45 DEGS BACK TO THE L. AFTER THE SECOND ROLL; I WAS ABLE TO RE-GRAB THE YOKE (IT WAS PRIED FROM MY HANDS IN THE ROLL). I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND INITIATED AN S-TURN TO THE R AND HAD THE FO INFORM DCA TWR THAT WE HAD ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURB AND WERE TURNING R TO AVOID. THE TWR'S RESPONSE WAS; 'YOU ARE FOLLOWING AN AIRBUS; IT'S NOT WAKE TURB.' WE WERE ABLE TO DO 1 S-TURN AND CONTINUED THE APCH AND LNDG NORMALLY. PAX WERE SCREAMING; HOWEVER; NONE WERE PHYSICALLY INJURED. I DID LOSE CTL OF THE ACFT FOR 2-3 SECONDS DURING THE WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.