Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Deviation - Speed All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
We were descending via the JONZE arrival into CLT. We were at the published speed of 250 KIAS. Passing through 16;000 ft; we encountered wake turbulence. The aircraft suddenly and violently rolled right about 20 degrees; followed quickly by a 40 degree bank to the left. The airspeed fluctuated approximately 20 knots during the encounter. As the aircraft rolled left the autopilot disconnected. I turned on the continuous ignition; told the FO 'my flight controls' and assumed manual control of the aircraft. I leveled the aircraft at 16;000 to attempt to stay above the flight path of the preceding traffic that caused the wake encounter. We informed ATC of our encounter and they gave us a new clearance to descend to 9;000. They informed us that we were following an aircraft that was 7.8 miles in front of us. I transferred control back to the FO and he flew a shallower descent to stay above the wake. I called back to the flight attendants to make sure everyone was ok. There were no injuries. The rest of the flight was uneventful. The spacing between us and the aircraft in front of us led to a wake turbulence encounter. We had a quartering tailwind during this leg of the arrival; which made the wake linger in our flight path.
CRJ-700 Captain reported encountering wake turbulence at 16;000 ft on Arrival into CLT that resulted in a 'violent' roll right and left.