Narrative:

I was flying the charlie track from hnl to sfo on apr/xa/00 at approximately XA30Z. About 5 mins earlier, we had just climbed from FL320 up to FL340 and called sfo radio that we were level. We had an FAA inspector from oak on the jump seat giving us a line check. I see a contrail at about 2 O'clock position and think 'that's weird, what's he doing way over there (off the track)?' then I realize it's coming right at us. I called the traffic, and everybody up front presses face to the windows. Turns out, it was an A340 or B747-400 (4 engine with winglets) at about FL310, passed right underneath us (our TCASII only displays 2000 ft and he didn't show up). We were 183 DME west of coppi (049 degree track) with several other planes on the track around us (above and below). This traffic was on about a 260 degree heading when he crossed under us. We tried raising him 2 times on 128.95, no response. We then alerted everybody on 128.95 that this guy was out here cutting across the tracks, then called it in to sfo radio. When we reached 127 mi west and contacted ZOA, we queried them and were advised that 'it was a B747 and it was right where it was supposed to be.' so, my question is, is it legal (with the cepac tracks and rvsm, etc) for someone to be doing something like lax direct nrt at FL310? I mean, if anybody pops an engine out there on one of the cepac tracks and starts a sidestep and descent right in front of someone else cutting across all the tracks, there's an extremely high potential for an in-flight collision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 FO PF WHILE ON A CEPAC TRACK OBSERVES TFC XING 3000 FT BELOW AND BELIEVES THE ACFT IS OFF COURSE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE CHARLIE TRACK FROM HNL TO SFO ON APR/XA/00 AT APPROX XA30Z. ABOUT 5 MINS EARLIER, WE HAD JUST CLBED FROM FL320 UP TO FL340 AND CALLED SFO RADIO THAT WE WERE LEVEL. WE HAD AN FAA INSPECTOR FROM OAK ON THE JUMP SEAT GIVING US A LINE CHK. I SEE A CONTRAIL AT ABOUT 2 O'CLOCK POS AND THINK 'THAT'S WEIRD, WHAT'S HE DOING WAY OVER THERE (OFF THE TRACK)?' THEN I REALIZE IT'S COMING RIGHT AT US. I CALLED THE TFC, AND EVERYBODY UP FRONT PRESSES FACE TO THE WINDOWS. TURNS OUT, IT WAS AN A340 OR B747-400 (4 ENG WITH WINGLETS) AT ABOUT FL310, PASSED RIGHT UNDERNEATH US (OUR TCASII ONLY DISPLAYS 2000 FT AND HE DIDN'T SHOW UP). WE WERE 183 DME W OF COPPI (049 DEG TRACK) WITH SEVERAL OTHER PLANES ON THE TRACK AROUND US (ABOVE AND BELOW). THIS TFC WAS ON ABOUT A 260 DEG HDG WHEN HE CROSSED UNDER US. WE TRIED RAISING HIM 2 TIMES ON 128.95, NO RESPONSE. WE THEN ALERTED EVERYBODY ON 128.95 THAT THIS GUY WAS OUT HERE CUTTING ACROSS THE TRACKS, THEN CALLED IT IN TO SFO RADIO. WHEN WE REACHED 127 MI W AND CONTACTED ZOA, WE QUERIED THEM AND WERE ADVISED THAT 'IT WAS A B747 AND IT WAS RIGHT WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.' SO, MY QUESTION IS, IS IT LEGAL (WITH THE CEPAC TRACKS AND RVSM, ETC) FOR SOMEONE TO BE DOING SOMETHING LIKE LAX DIRECT NRT AT FL310? I MEAN, IF ANYBODY POPS AN ENG OUT THERE ON ONE OF THE CEPAC TRACKS AND STARTS A SIDESTEP AND DSCNT RIGHT IN FRONT OF SOMEONE ELSE CUTTING ACROSS ALL THE TRACKS, THERE'S AN EXTREMELY HIGH POTENTIAL FOR AN INFLT COLLISION.

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.