37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 379207 |
Time | |
Date | 199706 |
Day | Fri |
Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | atc facility : zdc |
State Reference | DC |
Altitude | msl bound lower : 1800 msl bound upper : 1800 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Dusk |
Aircraft 1 | |
Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Operator | other |
Make Model Name | Fighting Falcon F16 |
Operating Under FAR Part | other : other |
Navigation In Use | Other Other |
Flight Phase | cruise other |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | company : air taxi |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 75 |
ASRS Report | 379207 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : military |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : military pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
Events | |
Anomaly | conflict : nmac |
Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
Consequence | Other |
Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 250 |
Supplementary | |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was climbing to 3500 ft in good VFR, direct eno. I noticed a light brown exhaust plume from my 1 O'clock position to my 12 O'clock position at approximately 1.5 mi. Since I was unable to see an aircraft my first impression was that I was now following the aircraft producing the plume. Seconds after making that incorrect assumption I was able to see a narrow fuselage taking shape. I immediately realized we were on a collision course, and I banked the aircraft 45 degrees to the right. At that point I was able to identify the other aircraft as an F16, which then pitched up and rolled inverted, passing directly overhead with about 250 ft of clearance. The rate of closure, coupled with my slow climb speed leads me to believe the fighter was traveling well in excess of 250 KIAS. After the F16 passed overhead I was unable to visually reacquire due to lack of aft looking windows. I altered course to the right .5 mi to avoid wake turbulence. Opinion: the way the F16 turned at me, and then 'show-boated' by rolling inverted makes me believe that this near-miss was intentional.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ACFT IN CLB SAW AN F16 ON A COLLISION COURSE AND RPTR PLT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. RPTR BELIEVES THE F16 MADE A PASS ON HIM PURPOSELY.
Narrative: I WAS CLBING TO 3500 FT IN GOOD VFR, DIRECT ENO. I NOTICED A LIGHT BROWN EXHAUST PLUME FROM MY 1 O'CLOCK POS TO MY 12 O'CLOCK POS AT APPROX 1.5 MI. SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO SEE AN ACFT MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THAT I WAS NOW FOLLOWING THE ACFT PRODUCING THE PLUME. SECONDS AFTER MAKING THAT INCORRECT ASSUMPTION I WAS ABLE TO SEE A NARROW FUSELAGE TAKING SHAPE. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED WE WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE, AND I BANKED THE ACFT 45 DEGS TO THE R. AT THAT POINT I WAS ABLE TO IDENT THE OTHER ACFT AS AN F16, WHICH THEN PITCHED UP AND ROLLED INVERTED, PASSING DIRECTLY OVERHEAD WITH ABOUT 250 FT OF CLRNC. THE RATE OF CLOSURE, COUPLED WITH MY SLOW CLB SPD LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE FIGHTER WAS TRAVELING WELL IN EXCESS OF 250 KIAS. AFTER THE F16 PASSED OVERHEAD I WAS UNABLE TO VISUALLY REACQUIRE DUE TO LACK OF AFT LOOKING WINDOWS. I ALTERED COURSE TO THE R .5 MI TO AVOID WAKE TURB. OPINION: THE WAY THE F16 TURNED AT ME, AND THEN 'SHOW-BOATED' BY ROLLING INVERTED MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THIS NEAR-MISS WAS INTENTIONAL.
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.