Narrative:

A flight of 3 F16's (X) were proceeding straight in to runway 15 for an overhead approach, left break, 1800 ft break altitude. There was a B1900 (Y) commuter that departed runway 19 on runway heading. This aircraft was turned right heading 320 degrees and level 2000 ft about 3 mi southwest of the airport. The F16's did not break left but turned west. They were about 1 mi west of the field when they advised they couldn't break left because of a cloud. They were headed directly at the B1900 and I gave them an immediate turn and climb to get away from the commuter. We spoke with the F16 flight leader later and advised he can't just break off his approach and turn any way he wants without telling us. At 350 KTS, if he turns in an unexpected direction, it may cause conflicts very quickly. The pilot says that he turned right out of the pattern because he thought it was more important to stay clear of cloud. He said the WX was better to the west. Supplemental information from acn 456021: WX at btv reported as 6000 ft broken and 6 mi visibility. Cleared for a visual approach to runway 15 at btv. Somewhere between 1-3 mi off of the approach end at 1800 ft MSL (going to initial) it became apparent that the break could not be accomplished due to a cloud directly over the field and east of the field. While deviating to the west slightly to maintain clear of clouds, a transmission to tower was made to inform that the overhead pattern could not be accomplished, and requested vectors back to radar. Tower gave an immediate left turn to 360 degrees and climb to 3000 ft. A commuter B1900 rptedly had to react to TCASII advisories as we deviated 1/2 mi west around the cloud. Tower reports also that legal separation was maintained and no visual contact was established between the aircraft. My comments: the ATIS had not updated properly. Actual conditions overhead were actually 2000 ft and 3 mi. I would not have attempted an overhead if ATIS was close to actual conditions. I question TCASII precision in a maneuvering environment. The B1900 had just departed runway 19 and turned right to 320 degrees. I don't think we were really a conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BTV CTLR RECOGNIZES THAT F16 FLT TURNS CONTRARY TO INSTRUCTIONS AND COMES INTO CONFLICT WITH B190 DEPARTING FROM ANOTHER RWY, ISSUING ALTERNATE CTL INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: A FLT OF 3 F16'S (X) WERE PROCEEDING STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 15 FOR AN OVERHEAD APCH, L BREAK, 1800 FT BREAK ALT. THERE WAS A B1900 (Y) COMMUTER THAT DEPARTED RWY 19 ON RWY HDG. THIS ACFT WAS TURNED R HDG 320 DEGS AND LEVEL 2000 FT ABOUT 3 MI SW OF THE ARPT. THE F16'S DID NOT BREAK L BUT TURNED W. THEY WERE ABOUT 1 MI W OF THE FIELD WHEN THEY ADVISED THEY COULDN'T BREAK L BECAUSE OF A CLOUD. THEY WERE HEADED DIRECTLY AT THE B1900 AND I GAVE THEM AN IMMEDIATE TURN AND CLB TO GET AWAY FROM THE COMMUTER. WE SPOKE WITH THE F16 FLT LEADER LATER AND ADVISED HE CAN'T JUST BREAK OFF HIS APCH AND TURN ANY WAY HE WANTS WITHOUT TELLING US. AT 350 KTS, IF HE TURNS IN AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION, IT MAY CAUSE CONFLICTS VERY QUICKLY. THE PLT SAYS THAT HE TURNED R OUT OF THE PATTERN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO STAY CLR OF CLOUD. HE SAID THE WX WAS BETTER TO THE W. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 456021: WX AT BTV RPTED AS 6000 FT BROKEN AND 6 MI VISIBILITY. CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 15 AT BTV. SOMEWHERE BTWN 1-3 MI OFF OF THE APCH END AT 1800 FT MSL (GOING TO INITIAL) IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE BREAK COULD NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED DUE TO A CLOUD DIRECTLY OVER THE FIELD AND E OF THE FIELD. WHILE DEVIATING TO THE W SLIGHTLY TO MAINTAIN CLR OF CLOUDS, A XMISSION TO TWR WAS MADE TO INFORM THAT THE OVERHEAD PATTERN COULD NOT BE ACCOMPLISHED, AND REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO RADAR. TWR GAVE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 360 DEGS AND CLB TO 3000 FT. A COMMUTER B1900 RPTEDLY HAD TO REACT TO TCASII ADVISORIES AS WE DEVIATED 1/2 MI W AROUND THE CLOUD. TWR RPTS ALSO THAT LEGAL SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED AND NO VISUAL CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED BTWN THE ACFT. MY COMMENTS: THE ATIS HAD NOT UPDATED PROPERLY. ACTUAL CONDITIONS OVERHEAD WERE ACTUALLY 2000 FT AND 3 MI. I WOULD NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED AN OVERHEAD IF ATIS WAS CLOSE TO ACTUAL CONDITIONS. I QUESTION TCASII PRECISION IN A MANEUVERING ENVIRONMENT. THE B1900 HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 19 AND TURNED R TO 320 DEGS. I DON'T THINK WE WERE REALLY A CONFLICT.

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.