B737-300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 132; Flight Crew Type 13000
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
We were arriving into LAX on the SEAVU Arrival landing 25L. Weather was night VMC. At about 20 miles out we were cleared the visual but assigned 170 KTS. We were following a heavy B777 five miles ahead. We experienced significant jetwash/vortices putting us in 45 degrees right bank. I disconnected the autopilot and regained controlled flight and told Approach we were slowing to final approach airspeed to gain separation. Approach vectored us out of the pattern to a vector of 210 degrees and stated they would re-sequence us. Subsequently they asked us if we would like to offset and continue. We accepted. We continued uneventfully; staying one dot high on the ILS. Traffic following us became too close and was cleared to land on 25R. Our separation remained five miles due to ATC airspeed assignments. Because it was VMC; I could have been more forceful in staying high on glide slope much earlier in the approach than usual.
B737-300 Captain reported encountering wake vortex in trail of a B777 on arrival to LAX that resulted in a 45 degree bank. ATC provided a clearance off course.