An apparent loss of separation situation between an air carrier MD80 on AR1 and military C9 spillout...

Attributes
ACN	396109
Time
Date	199803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : crg
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx military facility : sealord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zjx
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	396109
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	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 other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 19500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Torry intersection on AR1 crg 090 degree radial/137 NM, we were at FL310 along AR1 when a large white aircraft idented as a military DC9 caused a TCASII TA with that aircraft displayed at our altitude. He came from our 2 O'clock position heading to 12 O'clock position. We saw him as he turned away. Closest point was 3- 3.5 mi on the TCASII. He then turned away from us and rapidly descended away from us. ATC was notified and my captain spoke to a miami supervisor. No evasive action was taken. Did both of our TCASII save the day on this one? Supplemental information from acn 396252: while conducting a post maintenance check flight in W-158, sealord told us to descend immediately to FL240. We were confused as to why but complied with their instructions. They later told us we were outside the w- 158 area. We checked our position and showed us in the area. Our mission continued for approximately 20 mins. We were told to return to base. Sealord (facsfac) said we were out of the area. Upon return to base, the captain talked to facsfac and the FAA. Evidently there was another aircraft who was on AR1 and had a TA go off. They could have been off course. On our return to base, the transponder was reported as inoperative by the first approach controller and the final approach controller said it was receiving our transponder loud and clear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN APPARENT LOSS OF SEPARATION SIT BTWN AN ACR MD80 ON AR1 AND MIL C9 SPILLOUT FROM W-158.

Narrative: TORRY INTXN ON AR1 CRG 090 DEG RADIAL/137 NM, WE WERE AT FL310 ALONG AR1 WHEN A LARGE WHITE ACFT IDENTED AS A MIL DC9 CAUSED A TCASII TA WITH THAT ACFT DISPLAYED AT OUR ALT. HE CAME FROM OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS HEADING TO 12 O'CLOCK POS. WE SAW HIM AS HE TURNED AWAY. CLOSEST POINT WAS 3- 3.5 MI ON THE TCASII. HE THEN TURNED AWAY FROM US AND RAPIDLY DSNDED AWAY FROM US. ATC WAS NOTIFIED AND MY CAPT SPOKE TO A MIAMI SUPVR. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. DID BOTH OF OUR TCASII SAVE THE DAY ON THIS ONE? SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 396252: WHILE CONDUCTING A POST MAINT CHK FLT IN W-158, SEALORD TOLD US TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL240. WE WERE CONFUSED AS TO WHY BUT COMPLIED WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. THEY LATER TOLD US WE WERE OUTSIDE THE W- 158 AREA. WE CHKED OUR POS AND SHOWED US IN THE AREA. OUR MISSION CONTINUED FOR APPROX 20 MINS. WE WERE TOLD TO RETURN TO BASE. SEALORD (FACSFAC) SAID WE WERE OUT OF THE AREA. UPON RETURN TO BASE, THE CAPT TALKED TO FACSFAC AND THE FAA. EVIDENTLY THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT WHO WAS ON AR1 AND HAD A TA GO OFF. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN OFF COURSE. ON OUR RETURN TO BASE, THE XPONDER WAS RPTED AS INOP BY THE FIRST APCH CTLR AND THE FINAL APCH CTLR SAID IT WAS RECEIVING OUR XPONDER LOUD AND CLR.

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.

An apparent loss of separation situation between an air carrier MD80 on AR1 and military C9 spillout from W-158.