A300 crew has close encounter with F16 at FL320 in ZJX airspace.

Attributes
ACN	707457
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ilm.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	707457
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

In cruise flight at FL330; approximately 45 mi southeast of ilm VOR; we requested a lower altitude due to chop and were cleared to FL310. At that time I noticed traffic on TCAS at FL320 in our 12 O'clock position approximately 20 mi and thought it odd that we were still cleared to descend to FL310. However; I could not tell which way the target traffic was traveling at the moment of descent clearance. During our descent we received a TCAS RA command to 'climb; climb; climb' and it commanded a 2000 FPM climb on the vsi which I immediately did along with a left turn because the target was coming right at us at our 12 O'clock position. At the moment of convergence of traffic; my first officer looked out the right side window and saw an F-16 fly under us about 500 ft. ATC was notified of the TCAS RA maneuver and said he saw no traffic and that military traffic was confined to below FL300.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH F16 AT FL320 IN ZJX AIRSPACE.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT AT FL330; APPROX 45 MI SE OF ILM VOR; WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT DUE TO CHOP AND WERE CLRED TO FL310. AT THAT TIME I NOTICED TFC ON TCAS AT FL320 IN OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS APPROX 20 MI AND THOUGHT IT ODD THAT WE WERE STILL CLRED TO DSND TO FL310. HOWEVER; I COULD NOT TELL WHICH WAY THE TARGET TFC WAS TRAVELING AT THE MOMENT OF DSCNT CLRNC. DURING OUR DSCNT WE RECEIVED A TCAS RA COMMAND TO 'CLB; CLB; CLB' AND IT COMMANDED A 2000 FPM CLB ON THE VSI WHICH I IMMEDIATELY DID ALONG WITH A L TURN BECAUSE THE TARGET WAS COMING RIGHT AT US AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. AT THE MOMENT OF CONVERGENCE OF TFC; MY FO LOOKED OUT THE R SIDE WINDOW AND SAW AN F-16 FLY UNDER US ABOUT 500 FT. ATC WAS NOTIFIED OF THE TCAS RA MANEUVER AND SAID HE SAW NO TFC AND THAT MIL TFC WAS CONFINED TO BELOW FL300.

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.