Date: 202111
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: D01.TRACON, CO
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Dawn
Aircraft: Regional Jet CL65; Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Final Approach
Airspace: Class B DEN
ATC / advisory: TRACON D01
Second aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Human factors: Fatigue; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: Deviation - Speed All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: During approach to landing on 35L DEN prior to FAF we encountered brief wake turbulence which resulted in a momentary [stick] shaker activation although speed and attitude remained constant within parameters. During the wake encounter no pitching movement was observed; just roll change. My assumption was that the wake triggered the [stick] shaker. The activation was so brief that I had to ask my First Officer (FO) if the sound heard was the stick shaker. I didn't even notice a vibration. We were above the stabilized approach targets and prior to the FAF. I elected to continue the approach. Although I know we should have executed an upset recovery procedure and go-around; I was task saturated and mostly caught off guard because of how brief the event was. We ended up following the visual path down to a landing. I think it's worth mentioning; I am relatively new to this airplane and overall this was an eventful flight.  Early wake-up [and] show time. We had a passenger issue; my first experience de-icing and a short flight (approx.15 minutes). We did our best to mitigate the short flight by briefing the full route on the ground.  I think discussing what happens in momentary [stick] shaker events and contributing factors would be helpful. I discussed with my FO how the flight played out vs. what should have happened. I think in the future I will not hesitate [to] go around for a similar event.


Second narrative: While getting vectored onto a visual approach backed up by an ILS at approximately 1;800 ft AFE and prior to the final approach fix; the aircraft encountered a low level turbulence episode that resulted in a momentary; abrupt roll. This was likely due to wake turbulence from nearby aircraft. The encounter abruptly rolled the aircraft to the right; resulting in a bank angle of approximately 20 degrees and a brief; audible sound that resembled an electric motor that lasted approximately 0.5 second. Upon this; the Pilot Flying (PF) reversed the roll to return to the previous; normal aircraft attitude. No deviations in airspeed or pitch were observed. The rest of the approach and landing were uneventful. Upon debrief; the PF suggested that the electric motor was likely evidence of stick shaker activation; but stated that the activation was so brief that he felt no shake from the control column. Although I did not immediately know what the source of the electric motor noise was; upon his suggestion I agreed that the stick shaker was the likely source of the noise. Upon suspected stick shaker activation; no matter how brief; terminate approach and perform a go-around/missed approach.


Synopsis: CRJ flight crew reported experiencing a brief stick shaker during a wake turbulence encounter on final approach to DEN.