37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 409230 |
Time | |
Date | 199807 |
Day | Sat |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | atc facility : nzc |
State Reference | FL |
Altitude | msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4200 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | Mixed |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tower : nzc |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Sail Plane |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
Flight Plan | None |
Aircraft 2 | |
Operator | other |
Make Model Name | Hornet (F-18) |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | descent other |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | Other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 10600 flight time type : 3600 |
ASRS Report | 409230 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : military |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : military |
Events | |
Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
Consequence | Other |
Miss Distance | vertical : 1000 |
Supplementary | |
Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
A military F18 pilot arriving at cecil NAS from norfolk during scattered thunderstorms in the area reported to cecil tower concern about the sailplane near cecil NAS stating he had a near miss reported at 3000 ft. I did not see this while on a sse descent from 4500 ft to 3500 ft over 4 mi from over cecil NAS. Cecil has a special use airspace from ground up to 2600 ft. I was not in radio contact, but did see an F18 about 2500 ft entering a traffic pattern and later landing into a light rain north of cecil NAS. To my knowledge this was not a near miss. I believe the military F18 pilot was disturbed that the airspace was not 'protected' or 'privileged.' also since he probably approached from a clouded area to the north, he had no chance to establish a visual soon enough. Usually on week days I avoid being near cecil due to a lot of training activity. This particular day, I had forgotten a portable radio that I often carry to monitor. In the past I have communicated my presence to cecil tower, but it tends to result in disinterest or confusion since very few people understand the attributes of a sailplane. This particular day, I was able to cruise at 75 KTS at 3500 ft to 4500 ft for over 1 hour in an 8 mi radius or so from herlong. Though it was not a near miss, I think I will make an effort to let cecil tower know there is a sailplane in their vicinity though sometimes they are slow to respond on a civilian frequency (126.1).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PLT OF A GROB 103 SAILPLANE IS NOTIFIED OF A MIL F18 PLT WHO CLAIMS A NEAR MISS.
Narrative: A MIL F18 PLT ARRIVING AT CECIL NAS FROM NORFOLK DURING SCATTERED TSTMS IN THE AREA RPTED TO CECIL TWR CONCERN ABOUT THE SAILPLANE NEAR CECIL NAS STATING HE HAD A NEAR MISS RPTED AT 3000 FT. I DID NOT SEE THIS WHILE ON A SSE DSCNT FROM 4500 FT TO 3500 FT OVER 4 MI FROM OVER CECIL NAS. CECIL HAS A SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE FROM GND UP TO 2600 FT. I WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT, BUT DID SEE AN F18 ABOUT 2500 FT ENTERING A TFC PATTERN AND LATER LNDG INTO A LIGHT RAIN N OF CECIL NAS. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS WAS NOT A NEAR MISS. I BELIEVE THE MIL F18 PLT WAS DISTURBED THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS NOT 'PROTECTED' OR 'PRIVILEGED.' ALSO SINCE HE PROBABLY APCHED FROM A CLOUDED AREA TO THE N, HE HAD NO CHANCE TO ESTABLISH A VISUAL SOON ENOUGH. USUALLY ON WK DAYS I AVOID BEING NEAR CECIL DUE TO A LOT OF TRAINING ACTIVITY. THIS PARTICULAR DAY, I HAD FORGOTTEN A PORTABLE RADIO THAT I OFTEN CARRY TO MONITOR. IN THE PAST I HAVE COMMUNICATED MY PRESENCE TO CECIL TWR, BUT IT TENDS TO RESULT IN DISINTEREST OR CONFUSION SINCE VERY FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ATTRIBUTES OF A SAILPLANE. THIS PARTICULAR DAY, I WAS ABLE TO CRUISE AT 75 KTS AT 3500 FT TO 4500 FT FOR OVER 1 HR IN AN 8 MI RADIUS OR SO FROM HERLONG. THOUGH IT WAS NOT A NEAR MISS, I THINK I WILL MAKE AN EFFORT TO LET CECIL TWR KNOW THERE IS A SAILPLANE IN THEIR VICINITY THOUGH SOMETIMES THEY ARE SLOW TO RESPOND ON A CIVILIAN FREQ (126.1).
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.