Narrative:

On a flight from pbi to bwi, while in cruise flight at an altitude of 7500' and a location approximately 90 NM south of grand strand, nc, we had occasion to note 2 military fgt. After initial interception, they climbed to an altitude approximately 1000' above our altitude and performed several figure eights across our flight path (at all times at an altitude which appeared to be at least 1000' above our flight path). Shortly thereafter, we overflew an aircraft carrier. The fgt aircraft continued to escort for a total of approximately 30 mins, whereupon 1 dropped down to our altitude (slightly below) and came up on our left side and at our cruise airspeed (205 KIAS) at about 30 yds, and then both turned back to in the direction of the carrier we had passed over. During the interception, we repeatedly attempted to make contact with the other aircraft on all frequencys, to no avail. I contacted ZJX on center frequency for that sector. ZJX advised they had no information other than the obvious (we were in a warning area). We also attempted to make contact with navy sealord (jacksonville NAS flight operations center controller), but no answer. Upon arrival in bwi, we cancelled our DVFR flight plan with washington FSS, only to discover that due to an 'operational error' (at the mia FSS) our DVFR flight plan was never activated. We had departed pbi and activated our flight immediately with mia FSS. According to the washington FSS supervisor we spoke with later, the FSS person in mia hit the wrong key while inserting our activation information. I can only wonder at what might have been had the WX been marginal, or should we have developed mechanical difficulties which would have required a ditching. At what point, if any, would a search been initiated? I mention the possibility of ditching, because, while remote, it does happen (and has happened to me in the past). This incident cost the taxpayer 45 mins to 1 hour of flight time on 2 fgt's and potentially could have been dangerous to our aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT AT 7500' MSL 90 MILES SOUTH OF GRAND STRAND, NC, WAS INTERCEPTED BY 2 FGT. UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FGT.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM PBI TO BWI, WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT AN ALT OF 7500' AND A LOCATION APPROX 90 NM S OF GRAND STRAND, NC, WE HAD OCCASION TO NOTE 2 MIL FGT. AFTER INITIAL INTERCEPTION, THEY CLBED TO AN ALT APPROX 1000' ABOVE OUR ALT AND PERFORMED SEVERAL FIGURE EIGHTS ACROSS OUR FLT PATH (AT ALL TIMES AT AN ALT WHICH APPEARED TO BE AT LEAST 1000' ABOVE OUR FLT PATH). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE OVERFLEW AN ACFT CARRIER. THE FGT ACFT CONTINUED TO ESCORT FOR A TOTAL OF APPROX 30 MINS, WHEREUPON 1 DROPPED DOWN TO OUR ALT (SLIGHTLY BELOW) AND CAME UP ON OUR LEFT SIDE AND AT OUR CRUISE AIRSPD (205 KIAS) AT ABOUT 30 YDS, AND THEN BOTH TURNED BACK TO IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CARRIER WE HAD PASSED OVER. DURING THE INTERCEPTION, WE REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT ON ALL FREQS, TO NO AVAIL. I CONTACTED ZJX ON CENTER FREQ FOR THAT SECTOR. ZJX ADVISED THEY HAD NO INFO OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS (WE WERE IN A WARNING AREA). WE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO MAKE CONTACT WITH NAVY SEALORD (JACKSONVILLE NAS FLT OPS CENTER CTLR), BUT NO ANSWER. UPON ARR IN BWI, WE CANCELLED OUR DVFR FLT PLAN WITH WASHINGTON FSS, ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT DUE TO AN 'OPERROR' (AT THE MIA FSS) OUR DVFR FLT PLAN WAS NEVER ACTIVATED. WE HAD DEPARTED PBI AND ACTIVATED OUR FLT IMMEDIATELY WITH MIA FSS. ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON FSS SUPVR WE SPOKE WITH LATER, THE FSS PERSON IN MIA HIT THE WRONG KEY WHILE INSERTING OUR ACTIVATION INFO. I CAN ONLY WONDER AT WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HAD THE WX BEEN MARGINAL, OR SHOULD WE HAVE DEVELOPED MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A DITCHING. AT WHAT POINT, IF ANY, WOULD A SEARCH BEEN INITIATED? I MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF DITCHING, BECAUSE, WHILE REMOTE, IT DOES HAPPEN (AND HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE PAST). THIS INCIDENT COST THE TAXPAYER 45 MINS TO 1 HR OF FLT TIME ON 2 FGT'S AND POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS TO OUR ACFT.

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.