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Pilot of small aircraft aircraft has near midair collision with military jet near a restr area. Transponder had failed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 407739 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199807 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : 0o2 |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 12500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla tracon : las |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 407739 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : military |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : nmac |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 300 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
Over las, approach reported transponder inoperative and terminated flight following. I confirmed no light and turned it off. About 50 mi later, heading for corner of restr area (29 palms northwest corner) saw lights at baker, soon realized not ground lights, but aircraft lights. Estimate 5 mi. I turned left, lights followed, turned left again, lights followed and grew fast (I cruise 200 mph). It was obvious jet did not see my little plane so I showed him my planform which is 10 times more visible, by rolling left. Maneuver put me about 300 ft left of him when I rolled back to see what it was. I was still at 12500 ft, jet was nose up at about 12000 ft and apparently never turned. I do not blame him for missing my little plane and taking evasive maneuvers, but I can presume he didn't see my first 2 attempts to miss him and the sudden shock of seeing my full belly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA ACFT HAS NMAC WITH MIL JET NEAR A RESTR AREA. XPONDER HAD FAILED.
Narrative: OVER LAS, APCH RPTED XPONDER INOP AND TERMINATED FLT FOLLOWING. I CONFIRMED NO LIGHT AND TURNED IT OFF. ABOUT 50 MI LATER, HDG FOR CORNER OF RESTR AREA (29 PALMS NW CORNER) SAW LIGHTS AT BAKER, SOON REALIZED NOT GND LIGHTS, BUT ACFT LIGHTS. ESTIMATE 5 MI. I TURNED L, LIGHTS FOLLOWED, TURNED L AGAIN, LIGHTS FOLLOWED AND GREW FAST (I CRUISE 200 MPH). IT WAS OBVIOUS JET DID NOT SEE MY LITTLE PLANE SO I SHOWED HIM MY PLANFORM WHICH IS 10 TIMES MORE VISIBLE, BY ROLLING L. MANEUVER PUT ME ABOUT 300 FT L OF HIM WHEN I ROLLED BACK TO SEE WHAT IT WAS. I WAS STILL AT 12500 FT, JET WAS NOSE UP AT ABOUT 12000 FT AND APPARENTLY NEVER TURNED. I DO NOT BLAME HIM FOR MISSING MY LITTLE PLANE AND TAKING EVASIVE MANEUVERS, BUT I CAN PRESUME HE DIDN'T SEE MY FIRST 2 ATTEMPTS TO MISS HIM AND THE SUDDEN SHOCK OF SEEING MY FULL BELLY.
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.