Narrative:

During cruise air carrier X got a TCASII TA, followed by a descend RA. We notified center that we were descending to 10000 ft due to a TCASII warning. We spotted government Y as it passed about 200 ft above and 400 ft in front of us! He appeared to be in a hard right turn to avoid us. We were cleared by center to maintain 10000 ft, and were subsequently told that the government Y was being worked by buffalo approach. At no time were we issued any TA's by ATC. I believe that this incident was caused by the lack of timely coordination between buffalo approach and ZOB, as well as the possibility that the government Y did not maintain his assigned altitude. Supplemental information from acn 211533: I am one of several aircraft commanders that operate a united states government aircraft which conducts numerous air- photo missions throughout the untied states. One of our primary missions is our FAA airport obstruction photography program. These photographic missions require no clouds and at least 15 NM of visibility. Each airport requires maneuvering within a 15-20 NM radius for approximately 15-20 mins. After completing photography over the detroit, toledo, and cleveland areas I was instructed to call ZOB via land line. I immediately called the supervisor on duty at that time and he explained that while en route over the detroit area, had to take evasive action so as to avoid our aircraft. I explained our mission to the supervisor and that we did in fact have visual contact with the other aircraft and provided our own visual separation. While maneuvering over the selected airports for photography, we maintain 15000 ft AGL, as mentioned before. This true altitude sometimes requires us to be at various altitudes for short periods of time while maneuvering for the photography. I did not contact ZOB because I assumed that the traffic at the higher altitudes would be light. We receive many mixed reactions to our requests when we do call to inform the particular center of our intentions. These reactions run the gamut from 'don't bother me now' to very restrictive altitude and heading instructions which preclude us from completing our photography. From now on, it is strict policy of this office to issue notification to all center offices in writing and also to contact the controling agency for the particular airspace that we are photographing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA RA EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN DSCNT HAD NMAC WITH VFR GOV Y. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE ACR X GOT A TCASII TA, FOLLOWED BY A DSND RA. WE NOTIFIED CTR THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 10000 FT DUE TO A TCASII WARNING. WE SPOTTED GOV Y AS IT PASSED ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE AND 400 FT IN FRONT OF US! HE APPEARED TO BE IN A HARD R TURN TO AVOID US. WE WERE CLRED BY CTR TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT, AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THAT THE GOV Y WAS BEING WORKED BY BUFFALO APCH. AT NO TIME WERE WE ISSUED ANY TA'S BY ATC. I BELIEVE THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE LACK OF TIMELY COORD BTWN BUFFALO APCH AND ZOB, AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GOV Y DID NOT MAINTAIN HIS ASSIGNED ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 211533: I AM ONE OF SEVERAL ACFT COMMANDERS THAT OPERATE A UNITED STATES GOV ACFT WHICH CONDUCTS NUMEROUS AIR- PHOTO MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNTIED STATES. ONE OF OUR PRIMARY MISSIONS IS OUR FAA ARPT OBSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM. THESE PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSIONS REQUIRE NO CLOUDS AND AT LEAST 15 NM OF VISIBILITY. EACH ARPT REQUIRES MANEUVERING WITHIN A 15-20 NM RADIUS FOR APPROX 15-20 MINS. AFTER COMPLETING PHOTOGRAPHY OVER THE DETROIT, TOLEDO, AND CLEVELAND AREAS I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL ZOB VIA LAND LINE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SUPVR ON DUTY AT THAT TIME AND HE EXPLAINED THAT WHILE ENRTE OVER THE DETROIT AREA, HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION SO AS TO AVOID OUR ACFT. I EXPLAINED OUR MISSION TO THE SUPVR AND THAT WE DID IN FACT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT AND PROVIDED OUR OWN VISUAL SEPARATION. WHILE MANEUVERING OVER THE SELECTED ARPTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, WE MAINTAIN 15000 FT AGL, AS MENTIONED BEFORE. THIS TRUE ALT SOMETIMES REQUIRES US TO BE AT VARIOUS ALTS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY. I DID NOT CONTACT ZOB BECAUSE I ASSUMED THAT THE TFC AT THE HIGHER ALTS WOULD BE LIGHT. WE RECEIVE MANY MIXED REACTIONS TO OUR REQUESTS WHEN WE DO CALL TO INFORM THE PARTICULAR CTR OF OUR INTENTIONS. THESE REACTIONS RUN THE GAMUT FROM 'DON'T BOTHER ME NOW' TO VERY RESTRICTIVE ALT AND HDG INSTRUCTIONS WHICH PRECLUDE US FROM COMPLETING OUR PHOTOGRAPHY. FROM NOW ON, IT IS STRICT POLICY OF THIS OFFICE TO ISSUE NOTIFICATION TO ALL CTR OFFICES IN WRITING AND ALSO TO CONTACT THE CTLING AGENCY FOR THE PARTICULAR AIRSPACE THAT WE ARE PHOTOGRAPHING.

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.