M20J private pilot descends into the flight path of a military C130.

Attributes
ACN	689000
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 J (201)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hercules (C-130)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	689000
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On IFR flight plan in severe clear WX. Controller pointed out the C130 to me and I acknowledged that I had him in sight. The C130 was about 10 mi at 2 O'clock position. Initiated a turn toward me and kept coming directly toward me. He appeared to be at my altitude. I entered a descent to evade. Controller informed me of my altitude loss and I explained the reason. Controller said that C130 was at 4500 ft (I was initially at 5000 ft) and that I had descended into the path of the C130. Maybe the C130 was at that altitude; maybe he wasn't. It certainly appeared that we were on a collision course. In the excellent visibility; perhaps this was an illusion. I should have communicated my actions to the controller; but is it necessary to allow a C130 to turn directly toward a small aircraft with only 500 ft of separation? If it had been IMC during these encounters; no one would have noted a thing. When it's severe clear; we little folks can't really feel comfortable when the heavy iron is coming right at us and separated by 500 ft of altitude. ATC should keep us separated laterally as well as vertically and the little people should announce intentions to ATC when evasive action is being taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20J PVT PLT DSNDS INTO THE FLT PATH OF A MIL C130.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN IN SEVERE CLR WX. CTLR POINTED OUT THE C130 TO ME AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I HAD HIM IN SIGHT. THE C130 WAS ABOUT 10 MI AT 2 O'CLOCK POS. INITIATED A TURN TOWARD ME AND KEPT COMING DIRECTLY TOWARD ME. HE APPEARED TO BE AT MY ALT. I ENTERED A DSCNT TO EVADE. CTLR INFORMED ME OF MY ALT LOSS AND I EXPLAINED THE REASON. CTLR SAID THAT C130 WAS AT 4500 FT (I WAS INITIALLY AT 5000 FT) AND THAT I HAD DSNDED INTO THE PATH OF THE C130. MAYBE THE C130 WAS AT THAT ALT; MAYBE HE WASN'T. IT CERTAINLY APPEARED THAT WE WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE. IN THE EXCELLENT VISIBILITY; PERHAPS THIS WAS AN ILLUSION. I SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED MY ACTIONS TO THE CTLR; BUT IS IT NECESSARY TO ALLOW A C130 TO TURN DIRECTLY TOWARD A SMALL ACFT WITH ONLY 500 FT OF SEPARATION? IF IT HAD BEEN IMC DURING THESE ENCOUNTERS; NO ONE WOULD HAVE NOTED A THING. WHEN IT'S SEVERE CLR; WE LITTLE FOLKS CAN'T REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN THE HVY IRON IS COMING RIGHT AT US AND SEPARATED BY 500 FT OF ALT. ATC SHOULD KEEP US SEPARATED LATERALLY AS WELL AS VERTICALLY AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE SHOULD ANNOUNCE INTENTIONS TO ATC WHEN EVASIVE ACTION IS BEING TAKEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.