Narrative:

We were en route to farmingdale, ny, on an IFR flight plan. We were at 7000' approximately 8 to 10 mi northeast of cayle VOR on the 046 degree right on V-16 above a broken cloud layer that was approximately 1000' below us with cumulus columns scattered in the area. At the time we were in contact with mcguire approach. My attention was drawn to our 11 O'clock high position by multiple landing lights. I quickly determined that a very large airplane was heading toward us in a descending left bank. I immediately called mcguire approach and reported the traffic, which they had not told us about. The controller's response was that we had traffic at 11 O'clock (no kidding). During this exchange we began an evasive descent to the left not knowing for sure the intentions of the other pilot. The other airplane continue in a descending left bank from our 11 O'clock position across our nose to our right and passed through our altitude about 2000' directly in front of us. As the airplane went by I could see that it appeared to be an mlt Y in camouflage paint. After it had passed we began an immediate climb back to our original altitude in an attempt to clear its wake turbulence which we were unable to avoid and as a result we experienced some severe buffeting. The other airplane continued its descent through a hole in the cloud layer and disappeared from view. I again called mcguire approach and told the ctrl that we had just experienced a very close call and he responded with 'understood'. I then overheard him call the military plane and tell the pilot to switch to a guard channel, I was only able to hear the controllers side of the exchange and the controller told the other pilot that he had just descended in front of IFR traffic and after a pause a statement like 'that's what the other pilot said.' I again called mcguire and asked if the other airplane was IFR or VFR and I was told that it was VFR and that the other pilot had told the controller that he had us in sight (which I don't believe). I again said that we had a very close call and the controller responded again only with 'understood'. I am not sure if the other pilot or the controller or both were at fault but it seemed from the conversation that the controller may not have been aware of the military planes proximity to us or that the other pilot was doing something other than what he was cleared to do. The controller seemed to be caught off guard and the other airplane should not have been where it was (VFR above a broken cloud layer with cumulus columns scattered in the area). Fortunately we were in clear enough conditions for us to see the other airplane in time to take evasive action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN CRUISE ON IFR PLAN HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH VFR MLT.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO FARMINGDALE, NY, ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WE WERE AT 7000' APPROX 8 TO 10 MI NE OF CAYLE VOR ON THE 046 DEG R ON V-16 ABOVE A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER THAT WAS APPROX 1000' BELOW US WITH CUMULUS COLUMNS SCATTERED IN THE AREA. AT THE TIME WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH MCGUIRE APCH. MY ATTN WAS DRAWN TO OUR 11 O'CLOCK HIGH POS BY MULTIPLE LNDG LIGHTS. I QUICKLY DETERMINED THAT A VERY LARGE AIRPLANE WAS HDG TOWARD US IN A DSNDING L BANK. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MCGUIRE APCH AND RPTED THE TFC, WHICH THEY HAD NOT TOLD US ABOUT. THE CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS THAT WE HAD TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK (NO KIDDING). DURING THIS EXCHANGE WE BEGAN AN EVASIVE DSNT TO THE L NOT KNOWING FOR SURE THE INTENTIONS OF THE OTHER PLT. THE OTHER AIRPLANE CONTINUE IN A DSNDING L BANK FROM OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS ACROSS OUR NOSE TO OUR R AND PASSED THROUGH OUR ALT ABOUT 2000' DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. AS THE AIRPLANE WENT BY I COULD SEE THAT IT APPEARED TO BE AN MLT Y IN CAMOUFLAGE PAINT. AFTER IT HAD PASSED WE BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL ALT IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLR ITS WAKE TURB WHICH WE WERE UNABLE TO AVOID AND AS A RESULT WE EXPERIENCED SOME SEVERE BUFFETING. THE OTHER AIRPLANE CONTINUED ITS DSNT THROUGH A HOLE IN THE CLOUD LAYER AND DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. I AGAIN CALLED MCGUIRE APCH AND TOLD THE CTRL THAT WE HAD JUST EXPERIENCED A VERY CLOSE CALL AND HE RESPONDED WITH 'UNDERSTOOD'. I THEN OVERHEARD HIM CALL THE MIL PLANE AND TELL THE PLT TO SWITCH TO A GUARD CHANNEL, I WAS ONLY ABLE TO HEAR THE CTLRS SIDE OF THE EXCHANGE AND THE CTLR TOLD THE OTHER PLT THAT HE HAD JUST DSNDED IN FRONT OF IFR TFC AND AFTER A PAUSE A STATEMENT LIKE 'THAT'S WHAT THE OTHER PLT SAID.' I AGAIN CALLED MCGUIRE AND ASKED IF THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS IFR OR VFR AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS VFR AND THAT THE OTHER PLT HAD TOLD THE CTLR THAT HE HAD US IN SIGHT (WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE). I AGAIN SAID THAT WE HAD A VERY CLOSE CALL AND THE CTLR RESPONDED AGAIN ONLY WITH 'UNDERSTOOD'. I AM NOT SURE IF THE OTHER PLT OR THE CTLR OR BOTH WERE AT FAULT BUT IT SEEMED FROM THE CONVERSATION THAT THE CTLR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE MIL PLANES PROX TO US OR THAT THE OTHER PLT WAS DOING SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT HE WAS CLRED TO DO. THE CTLR SEEMED TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND THE OTHER AIRPLANE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WHERE IT WAS (VFR ABOVE A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER WITH CUMULUS COLUMNS SCATTERED IN THE AREA). FORTUNATELY WE WERE IN CLR ENOUGH CONDITIONS FOR US TO SEE THE OTHER AIRPLANE IN TIME TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.