Narrative:

Air carrier X (MD80) reported 2 F14's, 500 ft above him. Air carrier X was at FL270, the fgt flight was supposedly level at FL260. The wingman for the fgt flight then stated that they were a little high. The mode C also said the aircraft were FL270 and FL260, respectively. Supplemental information from acn 347260: we were in level cruise at FL270 when I spotted a flight of 2 F14's at our altitude moving right to left. Our heading was 360 degrees, theirs 270 degrees. Aircraft were spotted approximately 2 NM away. TCASII gave no alert because it showed them at FL260. TCASII range was set to 40 NM so I could not get an accurate range from us, but estimate closest approach at 3000 ft horizontal, and zero ft vertical. I disconnected autoplt to prepare for evasive action, but F14's went by too fast to react. Lead aircraft was slightly below and wingman was to lead's left and slightly above us. The letters 'xx' were clearly visible on their tails. First officer thought the aircraft might have been above us. No evasive action on F14's part was taken. Total time of encounter was 15 seconds. When ZDC was questioned, they said they showed the flight at FL260. That was the closest I have ever come to another aircraft in my 11 yrs at this airline. A near miss was reported to ZDC, and a call to dispatch was made from lga. We were not advised of traffic by ATC. Could their altimeters have been off? We were set to 29.92. WX at time was VFR, visibility 100+ NM.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 SAW AN F14 FLT AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE AT HIS ALT OF FL270. THE CAPT CHKED HIS TCASII AND IT INDICATED 1000 FT SEPARATION AND GAVE NO ALERT. THE CAPT WAS ABOUT TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION BASED ON HIS VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE F14'S, BUT THEY PASSED HIS ACFT BEFORE HE COULD REACT. THE ACR CAPT AND THE FO FELT THE F14'S WERE OFF ALT. THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR SHOWED 1000 FT SEPARATION AND GOT NO OTHER INDICATION OTHERWISE. ACR RPTED AN NMAC.

Narrative: ACR X (MD80) RPTED 2 F14'S, 500 FT ABOVE HIM. ACR X WAS AT FL270, THE FGT FLT WAS SUPPOSEDLY LEVEL AT FL260. THE WINGMAN FOR THE FGT FLT THEN STATED THAT THEY WERE A LITTLE HIGH. THE MODE C ALSO SAID THE ACFT WERE FL270 AND FL260, RESPECTIVELY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 347260: WE WERE IN LEVEL CRUISE AT FL270 WHEN I SPOTTED A FLT OF 2 F14'S AT OUR ALT MOVING R TO L. OUR HDG WAS 360 DEGS, THEIRS 270 DEGS. ACFT WERE SPOTTED APPROX 2 NM AWAY. TCASII GAVE NO ALERT BECAUSE IT SHOWED THEM AT FL260. TCASII RANGE WAS SET TO 40 NM SO I COULD NOT GET AN ACCURATE RANGE FROM US, BUT ESTIMATE CLOSEST APCH AT 3000 FT HORIZ, AND ZERO FT VERT. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT TO PREPARE FOR EVASIVE ACTION, BUT F14'S WENT BY TOO FAST TO REACT. LEAD ACFT WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW AND WINGMAN WAS TO LEAD'S L AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE US. THE LETTERS 'XX' WERE CLRLY VISIBLE ON THEIR TAILS. FO THOUGHT THE ACFT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABOVE US. NO EVASIVE ACTION ON F14'S PART WAS TAKEN. TOTAL TIME OF ENCOUNTER WAS 15 SECONDS. WHEN ZDC WAS QUESTIONED, THEY SAID THEY SHOWED THE FLT AT FL260. THAT WAS THE CLOSEST I HAVE EVER COME TO ANOTHER ACFT IN MY 11 YRS AT THIS AIRLINE. A NEAR MISS WAS RPTED TO ZDC, AND A CALL TO DISPATCH WAS MADE FROM LGA. WE WERE NOT ADVISED OF TFC BY ATC. COULD THEIR ALTIMETERS HAVE BEEN OFF? WE WERE SET TO 29.92. WX AT TIME WAS VFR, VISIBILITY 100+ NM.

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.