Narrative:

Toward the end of a test flight on a new learjet model 60, we were returning to tus on an IFR flight plan. We were handed off to tus approach control, then cleared to fly heading 300 degrees and descend from FL180 to 9000 ft. Descending through approximately 16000 ft, we were issued a TA 'at 10 O'clock, 2 targets 2 mi, altitude indicates 14500 ft and 13800 ft.' I replied that we would stop our descent at 15000 ft. Tus approach then cleared us to maintain 15000 ft which we did. My first officer and I were both looking for the traffic with no success. After approximately 30 seconds we were instructed to turn left to heading 280 degrees. Still looking for the traffic I commenced to turn left. As I was in a 20 degree left bank a gray T33 flew past us opposite direction wingtip to wingtip at an estimated 75 ft. The second T33 went by several seconds later at a greater separation. I reported the near miss to tus approach. I feel that if we were advised that the traffic was 'fast moving' or we were not turned left into it, that this may have been avoided. After the incident we were cleared (I think) to descend to 8000 ft. After starting the descent, I climbed back to 15000 ft and verified that we were cleared to descend, then resumed the descent. The fact that we were rattled by the near miss contributed to the confusion with the descent clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LR60 FLC EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A FLT OF 2 T33 MIL JETS. THE LR60 FLC HAD BEEN GIVEN AN ADVISORY, BUT WAS VECTORED TOWARD THE T33 ACFT. NO TIME FOR EVASIVE ACTION. NMAC. FLC THEN THOUGHT THAT THEY MISUNDERSTOOD NEXT DSCNT CLRNC, AND CLBED BACK UP TO ORIGINAL ALT BEFORE QUERYING CTLR.

Narrative: TOWARD THE END OF A TEST FLT ON A NEW LEARJET MODEL 60, WE WERE RETURNING TO TUS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO TUS APCH CTL, THEN CLRED TO FLY HDG 300 DEGS AND DSND FROM FL180 TO 9000 FT. DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 16000 FT, WE WERE ISSUED A TA 'AT 10 O'CLOCK, 2 TARGETS 2 MI, ALT INDICATES 14500 FT AND 13800 FT.' I REPLIED THAT WE WOULD STOP OUR DSCNT AT 15000 FT. TUS APCH THEN CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 15000 FT WHICH WE DID. MY FO AND I WERE BOTH LOOKING FOR THE TFC WITH NO SUCCESS. AFTER APPROX 30 SECONDS WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L TO HDG 280 DEGS. STILL LOOKING FOR THE TFC I COMMENCED TO TURN L. AS I WAS IN A 20 DEG L BANK A GRAY T33 FLEW PAST US OPPOSITE DIRECTION WINGTIP TO WINGTIP AT AN ESTIMATED 75 FT. THE SECOND T33 WENT BY SEVERAL SECONDS LATER AT A GREATER SEPARATION. I RPTED THE NEAR MISS TO TUS APCH. I FEEL THAT IF WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE TFC WAS 'FAST MOVING' OR WE WERE NOT TURNED L INTO IT, THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. AFTER THE INCIDENT WE WERE CLRED (I THINK) TO DSND TO 8000 FT. AFTER STARTING THE DSCNT, I CLBED BACK TO 15000 FT AND VERIFIED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO DSND, THEN RESUMED THE DSCNT. THE FACT THAT WE WERE RATTLED BY THE NEAR MISS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION WITH THE DSCNT CLRNC.

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.