Narrative:

On jan/xx/94, I was returning to ryan field (ryn) from aura valley (E14) flying solo in my cessna-140. The distance of the flight is only 16 NM and the WX was cavu. I was level at 3200 ft MSL (about 1000 ft AGL), about 5 mi south of aura valley, with transponder set at 1200 and heading around 230 degrees. This heading would take me well west of my direct route to ryan field. However, this would give me a good clearance from an 'aerobatics box' just southeast of aura valley and would keep me west of the saguaro national monument. I decided it would be easier on such a short flight to fly around the monument than to climb to the requested 2000 ft AGL. Suddenly an F-15 appeared a couple hundred feet above my right wing! The F-15 passed me, descending and leveled off at my altitude. It immediately occurred to me that these military flts are always in pairs. I waited an eternity (a couple seconds on my watch) looking desperately for the second F-15 before spotting it below me and much farther away off my left wing. I don't know if the F-15 ever saw me or if it passed that close on purpose. My plane did have its strobe light on, but it still could have been missed among the other clutter on the ground. There is no way I could have seen it coming as there is no rear window on a C-140. Even though the F-15's were following military training route (VR244-246), I wouldn't have expected an encounter like this at such a low altitude, near the national monument, in airspace that is heavily used for civilian flight training, and so close to an 'aerobatics box'. I won't make such assumptions in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC IN PROX OF VFR MIL TRAINING RTE. C-140 VS F-15. NO CONTEST.

Narrative: ON JAN/XX/94, I WAS RETURNING TO RYAN FIELD (RYN) FROM AURA VALLEY (E14) FLYING SOLO IN MY CESSNA-140. THE DISTANCE OF THE FLT IS ONLY 16 NM AND THE WX WAS CAVU. I WAS LEVEL AT 3200 FT MSL (ABOUT 1000 FT AGL), ABOUT 5 MI S OF AURA VALLEY, WITH XPONDER SET AT 1200 AND HDG AROUND 230 DEGS. THIS HDG WOULD TAKE ME WELL W OF MY DIRECT RTE TO RYAN FIELD. HOWEVER, THIS WOULD GIVE ME A GOOD CLRNC FROM AN 'AEROBATICS BOX' JUST SE OF AURA VALLEY AND WOULD KEEP ME W OF THE SAGUARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. I DECIDED IT WOULD BE EASIER ON SUCH A SHORT FLT TO FLY AROUND THE MONUMENT THAN TO CLB TO THE REQUESTED 2000 FT AGL. SUDDENLY AN F-15 APPEARED A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET ABOVE MY R WING! THE F-15 PASSED ME, DSNDING AND LEVELED OFF AT MY ALT. IT IMMEDIATELY OCCURRED TO ME THAT THESE MIL FLTS ARE ALWAYS IN PAIRS. I WAITED AN ETERNITY (A COUPLE SECONDS ON MY WATCH) LOOKING DESPERATELY FOR THE SECOND F-15 BEFORE SPOTTING IT BELOW ME AND MUCH FARTHER AWAY OFF MY L WING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE F-15 EVER SAW ME OR IF IT PASSED THAT CLOSE ON PURPOSE. MY PLANE DID HAVE ITS STROBE LIGHT ON, BUT IT STILL COULD HAVE BEEN MISSED AMONG THE OTHER CLUTTER ON THE GND. THERE IS NO WAY I COULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING AS THERE IS NO REAR WINDOW ON A C-140. EVEN THOUGH THE F-15'S WERE FOLLOWING MIL TRAINING RTE (VR244-246), I WOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED AN ENCOUNTER LIKE THIS AT SUCH A LOW ALT, NEAR THE NATIONAL MONUMENT, IN AIRSPACE THAT IS HEAVILY USED FOR CIVILIAN FLT TRAINING, AND SO CLOSE TO AN 'AEROBATICS BOX'. I WON'T MAKE SUCH ASSUMPTIONS IN THE FUTURE.

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.