Military trainer erroneously operates through the altitude of the reporter's airliner within about o...

Attributes
ACN	303237
Time
Date	199504
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crp
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Talon
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	303237
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : exit altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

TCASII went off at cruise, FL200, instructed us to 'monitor vertical speed' followed by a 'descend' command. Looked out front windshield to see an airforce T-38 in a dive with his belly to us. His estimated altitude was 21000-20500 ft descending in front of us, nose straight down to the ground. Asked ZHU about traffic and was told of the T-38 below us now at 17000 ft, and given a number to call when on the ground. ZHU pulled the tapes and reviewed them. I was told that the data from the tapes showed he never was higher than 18300 ft which the T-38 pilot agreed. Our altimeter was set at 29.92 and not sure of altimeter setting on T-38. Nevertheless, he was descending from the top of our windshield to the bottom. 15 seconds further along and the T-38 would have cut us in two. Center informed me over the phone that they were having a shift change, and a controller forgot to brief us of the MOA below us, with T-38 activity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL TRAINER ERRONEOUSLY OPERATES THROUGH THE ALT OF THE RPTR'S AIRLINER WITHIN ABOUT ONE HALF MI.

Narrative: TCASII WENT OFF AT CRUISE, FL200, INSTRUCTED US TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD' FOLLOWED BY A 'DSND' COMMAND. LOOKED OUT FRONT WINDSHIELD TO SEE AN AIRFORCE T-38 IN A DIVE WITH HIS BELLY TO US. HIS ESTIMATED ALT WAS 21000-20500 FT DSNDING IN FRONT OF US, NOSE STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE GND. ASKED ZHU ABOUT TFC AND WAS TOLD OF THE T-38 BELOW US NOW AT 17000 FT, AND GIVEN A NUMBER TO CALL WHEN ON THE GND. ZHU PULLED THE TAPES AND REVIEWED THEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DATA FROM THE TAPES SHOWED HE NEVER WAS HIGHER THAN 18300 FT WHICH THE T-38 PLT AGREED. OUR ALTIMETER WAS SET AT 29.92 AND NOT SURE OF ALTIMETER SETTING ON T-38. NEVERTHELESS, HE WAS DSNDING FROM THE TOP OF OUR WINDSHIELD TO THE BOTTOM. 15 SECONDS FURTHER ALONG AND THE T-38 WOULD HAVE CUT US IN TWO. CTR INFORMED ME OVER THE PHONE THAT THEY WERE HAVING A SHIFT CHANGE, AND A CTLR FORGOT TO BRIEF US OF THE MOA BELOW US, WITH T-38 ACTIVITY.

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.

Military trainer erroneously operates through the altitude of the reporter's airliner within about one half mi.