2 military F16 aircraft converge on an airliner causing an near midair collision and a TCASII event.

Attributes
ACN	545708
Time
Date	200204
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lib.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 20 flight time total : 20
ASRS Report	545708
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 5
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Increase staffing at ATC center to allow for all sectors to be opened at busy times. The military pilot admitted to using terrain following equipment during this incident. This equipment prevents him from using onboard radar at the same time. I was training controller on the R29 and R30 sectors combined. We were moderately busy with a combination of charlotte arrs/departures and overflts. I observed 2 fast moving VFR targets near pulaski tracking sebound. 1 target showed a mode C of 16500 ft and the other 14500 ft. I advised controller to stop aircraft X at 17000 ft because it appeared that they might be near the VFR. I advised controller to make an early traffic call on the VFR because of its rapid speed. Controller issued traffic to aircraft X when the targets were 20 mi apart. I advised controller to advise aircraft X that the traffic was very fast moving. Controller advised the pilot that the VFR was 'rapidly maneuvering.' at this point, the VFR was not on a direct converging course with aircraft X. I noticed the VFR at the 1 O'clock position and 7 mi from aircraft X. I then noticed the VFR turn directly into the air carrier jet and begin climbing. The frequency was congested due to the sectors being combined and I had to wait a few seconds before issuing a safety advisory. When the frequency cleared, I advised aircraft X 'traffic alert, traffic 12 O'clock position, 4 mi, opposite direction, 16800 ft and climbing.' aircraft X answered that they were responding to an RA and climbing. The pilot of aircraft X advised me that he saw the military jet go by and only missed him by 200 ft. I advised my supervisor of the incident and continued working the sectors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 MIL F16 ACFT CONVERGE ON AN AIRLINER CAUSING AN NMAC AND A TCASII EVENT.

Narrative: INCREASE STAFFING AT ATC CTR TO ALLOW FOR ALL SECTORS TO BE OPENED AT BUSY TIMES. THE MIL PLT ADMITTED TO USING TERRAIN FOLLOWING EQUIP DURING THIS INCIDENT. THIS EQUIP PREVENTS HIM FROM USING ONBOARD RADAR AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS TRAINING CTLR ON THE R29 AND R30 SECTORS COMBINED. WE WERE MODERATELY BUSY WITH A COMBINATION OF CHARLOTTE ARRS/DEPS AND OVERFLTS. I OBSERVED 2 FAST MOVING VFR TARGETS NEAR PULASKI TRACKING SEBOUND. 1 TARGET SHOWED A MODE C OF 16500 FT AND THE OTHER 14500 FT. I ADVISED CTLR TO STOP ACFT X AT 17000 FT BECAUSE IT APPEARED THAT THEY MIGHT BE NEAR THE VFR. I ADVISED CTLR TO MAKE AN EARLY TFC CALL ON THE VFR BECAUSE OF ITS RAPID SPD. CTLR ISSUED TFC TO ACFT X WHEN THE TARGETS WERE 20 MI APART. I ADVISED CTLR TO ADVISE ACFT X THAT THE TFC WAS VERY FAST MOVING. CTLR ADVISED THE PLT THAT THE VFR WAS 'RAPIDLY MANEUVERING.' AT THIS POINT, THE VFR WAS NOT ON A DIRECT CONVERGING COURSE WITH ACFT X. I NOTICED THE VFR AT THE 1 O'CLOCK POS AND 7 MI FROM ACFT X. I THEN NOTICED THE VFR TURN DIRECTLY INTO THE ACR JET AND BEGIN CLBING. THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED DUE TO THE SECTORS BEING COMBINED AND I HAD TO WAIT A FEW SECONDS BEFORE ISSUING A SAFETY ADVISORY. WHEN THE FREQ CLRED, I ADVISED ACFT X 'TFC ALERT, TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS, 4 MI, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, 16800 FT AND CLBING.' ACFT X ANSWERED THAT THEY WERE RESPONDING TO AN RA AND CLBING. THE PLT OF ACFT X ADVISED ME THAT HE SAW THE MIL JET GO BY AND ONLY MISSED HIM BY 200 FT. I ADVISED MY SUPVR OF THE INCIDENT AND CONTINUED WORKING THE SECTORS.

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.