Narrative:

Departed eye XX30. In contact with ind departure/119.05. Vectors for climb to 5000 ft MSL, 090 degree heading. Assigned to intercept V-50 to osu. Heard ATC in contact with military F16. Upon becoming established at 5000 ft, an F16 overflew my PA28-180, same direction of flight, high speed, estimate 500 ft above. F16 sped off to east and then northeast. I called traffic to controller who replied there was no traffic he was showing in my area (he was evidently unaware of F16's route and altitude). I called ind tower upon returning to columbus and supervisor told me a flight of F16's was practicing fly-by's over race track, and an air carrier captain had also reported a less than 800 ft encounter at the same time. To prevent this in future, I'd recommend that a special corridor be established for arrival and departure of military high speed aircraft, and that they remain on an IFR plan. I do not recall any NOTAMS on this activity when I received my briefing from terre haute AFSS -- that would help. But I believe the F16's and controller should have coordinated the flight through class C airspace better. A TA to me would have minimized the startling effect of this encounter -- that the controller did not seem to be aware of the F16's location relative to my aircraft, causes me to have concern about the transponder operations on the F16 and the issue of whether I was at risk of a midair from behind.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA ACFT ENRTE TO OHIO AT 5000 FT HAS AN F16 CROSS OVER HIM AS THE F16 IS PRACTICING FOR A FLY-BY DEMONSTRATION AT THE INDY 500.

Narrative: DEPARTED EYE XX30. IN CONTACT WITH IND DEP/119.05. VECTORS FOR CLB TO 5000 FT MSL, 090 DEG HDG. ASSIGNED TO INTERCEPT V-50 TO OSU. HEARD ATC IN CONTACT WITH MIL F16. UPON BECOMING ESTABLISHED AT 5000 FT, AN F16 OVERFLEW MY PA28-180, SAME DIRECTION OF FLT, HIGH SPD, ESTIMATE 500 FT ABOVE. F16 SPED OFF TO E AND THEN NE. I CALLED TFC TO CTLR WHO REPLIED THERE WAS NO TFC HE WAS SHOWING IN MY AREA (HE WAS EVIDENTLY UNAWARE OF F16'S RTE AND ALT). I CALLED IND TWR UPON RETURNING TO COLUMBUS AND SUPVR TOLD ME A FLT OF F16'S WAS PRACTICING FLY-BY'S OVER RACE TRACK, AND AN ACR CAPT HAD ALSO RPTED A LESS THAN 800 FT ENCOUNTER AT THE SAME TIME. TO PREVENT THIS IN FUTURE, I'D RECOMMEND THAT A SPECIAL CORRIDOR BE ESTABLISHED FOR ARR AND DEP OF MIL HIGH SPD ACFT, AND THAT THEY REMAIN ON AN IFR PLAN. I DO NOT RECALL ANY NOTAMS ON THIS ACTIVITY WHEN I RECEIVED MY BRIEFING FROM TERRE HAUTE AFSS -- THAT WOULD HELP. BUT I BELIEVE THE F16'S AND CTLR SHOULD HAVE COORDINATED THE FLT THROUGH CLASS C AIRSPACE BETTER. A TA TO ME WOULD HAVE MINIMIZED THE STARTLING EFFECT OF THIS ENCOUNTER -- THAT THE CTLR DID NOT SEEM TO BE AWARE OF THE F16'S LOCATION RELATIVE TO MY ACFT, CAUSES ME TO HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE XPONDER OPS ON THE F16 AND THE ISSUE OF WHETHER I WAS AT RISK OF A MIDAIR FROM BEHIND.

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.