Air carrier X TCASII RA with military flight of 8 F16's.

Attributes
ACN	272482
Time
Date	199405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	272482
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	272130
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X level at FL290 from ont to slc. Our position was approximately 80 NM south of slc. It was my (first officer) leg to fly. We were informed by slc ATC of traffic at 20 mi (minus 8 F-16 at FL280). While in cruise we received a TCASII RA. A check of the TCASII screen showed traffic at 11 O'clock 500 ft above us. There was no visual contact. The vsi showed a red arc all the way around the top (no climb) and down to 2000 ft descent. The green arc existed between 2000-2500 ft descent. Upon receipt of the RA (after visually checking for traffic) I followed the RA, disconnected the autoplt and started an immediate descent. The rate of descent was 2500 FPM. The captain informed ATC that we started a descent due to a TCASII RA. ATC gave him a right turn. We leveled off at FL280 because TCASII no longer indicated a conflict. The captain asked ATC if they had lost separation and the answer was affirmative. Supplemental information from acn 272130: copilot at 29000 ft. (Held to 290 for flight of 8 F-16's at our 10 O'clock at 28000). TCASII resolution descend 2000 FPM for collision conflict 500 ft above us. Copilot followed TCASII threat resolved at 28000 ft. Center said they had lost separation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the center supervisor had reviewed the incident and found no loss of standard separation. Reporter felt the center was covering up for a military pilot in the flight at the wrong altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA WITH MIL FLT OF 8 F16'S.

Narrative: ACR X LEVEL AT FL290 FROM ONT TO SLC. OUR POS WAS APPROX 80 NM S OF SLC. IT WAS MY (FO) LEG TO FLY. WE WERE INFORMED BY SLC ATC OF TFC AT 20 MI (MINUS 8 F-16 AT FL280). WHILE IN CRUISE WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA. A CHK OF THE TCASII SCREEN SHOWED TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK 500 FT ABOVE US. THERE WAS NO VISUAL CONTACT. THE VSI SHOWED A RED ARC ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TOP (NO CLB) AND DOWN TO 2000 FT DSCNT. THE GREEN ARC EXISTED BTWN 2000-2500 FT DESCENT. UPON RECEIPT OF THE RA (AFTER VISUALLY CHKING FOR TFC) I FOLLOWED THE RA, DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. THE RATE OF DSCNT WAS 2500 FPM. THE CAPT INFORMED ATC THAT WE STARTED A DESCENT DUE TO A TCASII RA. ATC GAVE HIM A R TURN. WE LEVELED OFF AT FL280 BECAUSE TCASII NO LONGER INDICATED A CONFLICT. THE CAPT ASKED ATC IF THEY HAD LOST SEPARATION AND THE ANSWER WAS AFFIRMATIVE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 272130: COPLT AT 29000 FT. (HELD TO 290 FOR FLT OF 8 F-16'S AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK AT 28000). TCASII RESOLUTION DSND 2000 FPM FOR COLLISION CONFLICT 500 FT ABOVE US. COPLT FOLLOWED TCASII THREAT RESOLVED AT 28000 FT. CTR SAID THEY HAD LOST SEPARATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE CTR SUPVR HAD REVIEWED THE INCIDENT AND FOUND NO LOSS OF STANDARD SEPARATION. RPTR FELT THE CTR WAS COVERING UP FOR A MIL PLT IN THE FLT AT THE WRONG ALT.

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.