Near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	270993
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vgt
Operator	other
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	270993
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	271200
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

On arrival from dfw to abq, we were cleared to descend and cross miera at 15000 ft. Leaving 16000 ft we were advised of traffic showing 15600 ft, opposite direction, believed to be a flight of several F-16's. We looked but we were passing in and out of clouds and saw no traffic. Shortly thereafter the TCASII gave an RA and aural warning to 'climb, climb.' I disconnected the autoplt and began a steep climb immediately. The first officer observed the target on TCASII to pass directly under us with 300 vertical separation. This maneuver appeared to cause no concern among flight attendants or passenger who probably perceived it as part of the turbulence we had been experiencing. I feel that something is seriously amiss, however, since we rely on ATC clearance for safety of flight and we were exposed to serious danger in spite of our adherence to the clearance. Supplemental information from acn 271200: we were busy with cockpit duties. Glanced at TCASII and saw traffic. No TA at this point. Our mistake was to assume approach was in contact with and controling the F-16's. Evidently he was not. Questions arise 1) what are the f- 16's doing at miera (a published point on the arrival) at the altitude arriving aircraft are expected to cross? 2) why did ATC not vector us away from conflict. We did not report visual contact. In retrospect, we should have leveled at 16000 ft and not crossed miera at 15000 ft but again we were busy and assumed ATC was in control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: ON ARR FROM DFW TO ABQ, WE WERE CLRED TO DSND AND CROSS MIERA AT 15000 FT. LEAVING 16000 FT WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC SHOWING 15600 FT, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, BELIEVED TO BE A FLT OF SEVERAL F-16'S. WE LOOKED BUT WE WERE PASSING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS AND SAW NO TFC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE TCASII GAVE AN RA AND AURAL WARNING TO 'CLB, CLB.' I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN A STEEP CLB IMMEDIATELY. THE FO OBSERVED THE TARGET ON TCASII TO PASS DIRECTLY UNDER US WITH 300 VERT SEPARATION. THIS MANEUVER APPEARED TO CAUSE NO CONCERN AMONG FLT ATTENDANTS OR PAX WHO PROBABLY PERCEIVED IT AS PART OF THE TURB WE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING. I FEEL THAT SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY AMISS, HOWEVER, SINCE WE RELY ON ATC CLRNC FOR SAFETY OF FLT AND WE WERE EXPOSED TO SERIOUS DANGER IN SPITE OF OUR ADHERENCE TO THE CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 271200: WE WERE BUSY WITH COCKPIT DUTIES. GLANCED AT TCASII AND SAW TFC. NO TA AT THIS POINT. OUR MISTAKE WAS TO ASSUME APCH WAS IN CONTACT WITH AND CTLING THE F-16'S. EVIDENTLY HE WAS NOT. QUESTIONS ARISE 1) WHAT ARE THE F- 16'S DOING AT MIERA (A PUBLISHED POINT ON THE ARR) AT THE ALT ARRIVING ACFT ARE EXPECTED TO CROSS? 2) WHY DID ATC NOT VECTOR US AWAY FROM CONFLICT. WE DID NOT RPT VISUAL CONTACT. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE LEVELED AT 16000 FT AND NOT CROSSED MIERA AT 15000 FT BUT AGAIN WE WERE BUSY AND ASSUMED ATC WAS IN CTL.

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.