B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 364; Flight Crew Type 10400
Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related
We were cleared the Visual Approach to Runway 36L following a heavy widebody aircraft; who was approximately 3 NM in front of us. I briefed the First Officer that I would ride the glideslope slightly high to avoid wake turbulence. Winds on final were a left quartering tailwind of about eight knots and shifting left quartering headwind around 500' AGL. At around 300' AGL; we encountered wake turbulence with a significant right roll to at least 35 degrees of bank. I countered with left aileron and elected to go around; asserting that the deviation had resulted in an unstable approach on short final. The go-around and subsequent landing to 36L were uneventful.With the shifting winds; at least five mile spacing behind the heavy widebody aircraft would have probably prevented the event. In fact; the subsequent approach was behind another heavy widebody aircraft and I assured 5 NM spacing resulting in a successful approach and landing with no wake turbulence.
B737-800 Captain reported encountering wake turbulence on approach to MEM in trail of a heavy widebody aircraft.