Narrative:

On left base vector for runway 28 into atlanta at 3500 ft MSL about 5 miles in trail of heavy B767 in almost no wind condition; encountered severe wake turbulence at 3500 ft from heavy jet descending from 4000 ft while being vectored to same runway. Encountered turbulence 3 times during the approach while following controller's instructions. Third encounter was severe with the captain having full control inputs and aircraft continuing to roll. At this time he elected to discontinue approach and turned 10 degrees to the left to exit approach path behind heavy jet. I made the radio call to approach and informed them of our discontinued approach due to heavy turbulence and he provided immediate radar vectors out of the pattern to return and try approach again. The next approach was almost identical to the first only this time following a heavy B757. On this approach I did not call the traffic we were following or the airport in sight because the captain wanted greater separation from the heavy jet. We were eventually given the ILS approach and subsequent separation and landed without incident. However; we were given a phone number to the atl TRACON to discuss what happened. After we were on the ground and had time to think about what happened I realized all I needed to do was request the ILS approach and would have received the needed separation. Next time we are in this situation I will simply request the ILS approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ-700 CREW ABANDONS A VISUAL APPROACH TO ATL AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A PRECEDING B767 FIVE MILES AHEAD.

Narrative: ON LEFT BASE VECTOR FOR RUNWAY 28 INTO ATLANTA AT 3500 FT MSL ABOUT 5 MILES IN TRAIL OF HEAVY B767 IN ALMOST NO WIND CONDITION; ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WAKE TURBULENCE AT 3500 FT FROM HEAVY JET DESCENDING FROM 4000 FT WHILE BEING VECTORED TO SAME RUNWAY. ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE 3 TIMES DURING THE APPROACH WHILE FOLLOWING CONTROLLER'S INSTRUCTIONS. THIRD ENCOUNTER WAS SEVERE WITH THE CAPTAIN HAVING FULL CONTROL INPUTS AND AIRCRAFT CONTINUING TO ROLL. AT THIS TIME HE ELECTED TO DISCONTINUE APPROACH AND TURNED 10 DEGREES TO THE LEFT TO EXIT APPROACH PATH BEHIND HEAVY JET. I MADE THE RADIO CALL TO APPROACH AND INFORMED THEM OF OUR DISCONTINUED APPROACH DUE TO HEAVY TURBULENCE AND HE PROVIDED IMMEDIATE RADAR VECTORS OUT OF THE PATTERN TO RETURN AND TRY APPROACH AGAIN. THE NEXT APPROACH WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE FIRST ONLY THIS TIME FOLLOWING A HEAVY B757. ON THIS APPROACH I DID NOT CALL THE TRAFFIC WE WERE FOLLOWING OR THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT BECAUSE THE CAPTAIN WANTED GREATER SEPARATION FROM THE HEAVY JET. WE WERE EVENTUALLY GIVEN THE ILS APPROACH AND SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. HOWEVER; WE WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO THE ATL TRACON TO DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER WE WERE ON THE GROUND AND HAD TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED I REALIZED ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS REQUEST THE ILS APPROACH AND WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE NEEDED SEPARATION. NEXT TIME WE ARE IN THIS SITUATION I WILL SIMPLY REQUEST THE ILS APPROACH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.