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Fgt given opp direction traffic information with altitude 2000' above him, as the targets merged the fgt claims he had to climb to miss the large transport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 158843 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199010 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : lax |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla tower : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighter |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : flight data |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 2 |
| ASRS Report | 158843 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Large transport X was in level flight at FL330. Filed lax tij/sjd. Fgt Y was also in level flight at FL310, opp direction, filed nkx lax ehf. Opp direction traffic was issued to both aircraft. At the time when the two targets merged, the fgt X pilot came on frequency and inquired what altitude the traffic was supposed to be at. The other controller (on the 'radar' position) responded that the large transport X was at FL330. The fighter pilot then came back and said that he had taken evasive action and had climbed to FL320 to go over the other aircraft. Both aircraft had been level. Their mode C readouts indicated that they were level, and both pilots verified their altitude again afterward and they corresponded to mode C. Both pilots reported that the fighter had passed above the airliner. I can only speculate as to what was the reason(south) for this extremely unusual and disturbing occurrence. I think it should be investigated thoroughly so that it will not happen again.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FGT GIVEN OPP DIRECTION TRAFFIC INFO WITH ALT 2000' ABOVE HIM, AS THE TARGETS MERGED THE FGT CLAIMS HE HAD TO CLIMB TO MISS THE LGT.
Narrative: LGT X WAS IN LEVEL FLT AT FL330. FILED LAX TIJ/SJD. FGT Y WAS ALSO IN LEVEL FLT AT FL310, OPP DIRECTION, FILED NKX LAX EHF. OPP DIRECTION TFC WAS ISSUED TO BOTH ACFT. AT THE TIME WHEN THE TWO TARGETS MERGED, THE FGT X PLT CAME ON FREQ AND INQUIRED WHAT ALT THE TFC WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT. THE OTHER CTLR (ON THE 'RADAR' POS) RESPONDED THAT THE LGT X WAS AT FL330. THE FIGHTER PLT THEN CAME BACK AND SAID THAT HE HAD TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION AND HAD CLBED TO FL320 TO GO OVER THE OTHER ACFT. BOTH ACFT HAD BEEN LEVEL. THEIR MODE C READOUTS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE LEVEL, AND BOTH PLTS VERIFIED THEIR ALT AGAIN AFTERWARD AND THEY CORRESPONDED TO MODE C. BOTH PLTS RPTED THAT THE FIGHTER HAD PASSED ABOVE THE AIRLINER. I CAN ONLY SPECULATE AS TO WHAT WAS THE REASON(S) FOR THIS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL AND DISTURBING OCCURRENCE. I THINK IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY SO THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
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.