B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 149.38; Flight Crew Total 1442.53; Flight Crew Type 1442.53
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
At cruise and approaching Denver at FL360 in smooth air with the A autopilot in command mode and LNAV/VNAV engaged; DEN Center instructed us to descend and maintain FL320. Shortly after initiating a VNAV descent to comply with the clearance we experienced an upset event due to wake turbulence. While completing the upset recovery procedure the most bank I saw was 35 degrees and while we did deviate slightly from our clearance laterally we promptly returned to our route and were easily able to comply with our vertical clearance; leveling at FL320. While I ensured there were no injuries in the cabin the F/O reported our wake turbulence encounter to ATC. DEN Center took our report but then delayed our clearance to descend via the CLASH 3 RNAV arrival until we were well above our vertical path. We accepted the clearance and began a descent but after a further ATC speed restriction to 260 knots we realized about 5 miles prior to EVRLY we would be unable to comply with the altitude restriction of FL200. Due to ATC frequency congestion we were unable to inform ATC of how high we were and crossed EVRLY approximately 400 feet above the restriction of FL200. We then returned to our vertical path and landed at DEN without further incident.
B737 NG Captain reported encountering wake turbulence at FL360 in ZDV airspace.