 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B737 crew and military fighter had near midair collision in ZBW class a airspace when the fighter mistook the B737 for his refueling tanker and joined up oh him.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 535421 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200112 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : jfk.vor |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 530 |
| ASRS Report | 535421 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : company policies other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action none taken : detected after the fact other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 200 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
10 mi northeast of jfk at FL260, starting norwich 2 arrival into boston, we remarked on the fact that fighter jets are usually in the area just under us, so we turned the radar to TCASII to see a full 360 degree picture. At that point we noticed an aircraft 5 mi at 6 O'clock position and 1000 ft below us. We asked ATC about the traffic, but ZBW said they saw no traffic. The aircraft was climbing rapidly toward us and we received a TA, followed quickly by an RA 'climb, climb.' I began an immediate climb to the green arc as the captain notified ATC. ATC said they still saw no traffic but cleared us to climb. We also initiated a right turn since the aircraft appeared (on TCASII) to still be closing. At approximately FL272 the RA cleared with the other aircraft immediately behind and below 200 ft. At this point, the other aircraft turned right and descended rapidly. A few mins later, boston told us it appeared a military fighter had mistaken us for his tanker.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 CREW AND MIL FIGHTER HAD NMAC IN ZBW CLASS A AIRSPACE WHEN THE FIGHTER MISTOOK THE B737 FOR HIS REFUELING TANKER AND JOINED UP OH HIM.
Narrative: 10 MI NE OF JFK AT FL260, STARTING NORWICH 2 ARR INTO BOSTON, WE REMARKED ON THE FACT THAT FIGHTER JETS ARE USUALLY IN THE AREA JUST UNDER US, SO WE TURNED THE RADAR TO TCASII TO SEE A FULL 360 DEG PICTURE. AT THAT POINT WE NOTICED AN ACFT 5 MI AT 6 O'CLOCK POS AND 1000 FT BELOW US. WE ASKED ATC ABOUT THE TFC, BUT ZBW SAID THEY SAW NO TFC. THE ACFT WAS CLBING RAPIDLY TOWARD US AND WE RECEIVED A TA, FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY AN RA 'CLB, CLB.' I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO THE GREEN ARC AS THE CAPT NOTIFIED ATC. ATC SAID THEY STILL SAW NO TFC BUT CLRED US TO CLB. WE ALSO INITIATED A R TURN SINCE THE ACFT APPEARED (ON TCASII) TO STILL BE CLOSING. AT APPROX FL272 THE RA CLRED WITH THE OTHER ACFT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND AND BELOW 200 FT. AT THIS POINT, THE OTHER ACFT TURNED R AND DSNDED RAPIDLY. A FEW MINS LATER, BOSTON TOLD US IT APPEARED A MIL FIGHTER HAD MISTAKEN US FOR HIS TANKER.
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.