37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 740000 |
Time | |
Date | 200705 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : bjc.airport |
State Reference | CO |
Altitude | msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1500 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tower : apa.tower |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | cruise : level |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : private |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 45 flight time type : 45 |
ASRS Report | 740000 |
Events | |
Anomaly | airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far |
Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
Miss Distance | horizontal : 150 vertical : 0 |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was flying northbound; with strobe acl; and running lights on; over the fort logan national cemetery. I started a left turn and noticed 2 fighter jets; perhaps 5 mi away to the northwest; heading south and beginning a turn to the east. I switched on my landing light and they proceeded to the east about 3 mi away from our position until they could no longer be spotted; neither jet had strobes or running lights on. I continued our turn south and then east while descending to 1100 ft AGL. Our airspeed was about 60 KTS. Both jets returned; heading west at our altitude very fast and side by side. The jet closest to us was about 150 ft abeam our position. I maintained altitude and turned to the north to clear the area; then a right turn to the south to start our return trip. I had checked WX and flight planner before the flight and the only tfr or NOTAM reported for this area was at apa about 70 NM south of this encounter. I left apa around XA15; advising tower as to VFR to bjc area and then return south. There was no mention of any new NOTAMS to us; or to any other traffic during the time we monitored apa tower and I elected to remain on apa tower throughout our time in the area. (I had requested a frequency change due to all the chatter; but was advised to remain with tower while in the area.) I'm not sure if I did anything wrong; if I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time; or if I missed a NOTAM for that time/area. I'm not 100% sure the jets even saw me; although my landing lights are pretty bright; there was no indication from either jet that they are trying to signal me. Very exciting stuff!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PILOT REPORTS BEING PASSED CLOSE ABOARD BY TWO MILITARY JETS WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT OVER DENVER AT 1500 FEET.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING NBOUND; WITH STROBE ACL; AND RUNNING LIGHTS ON; OVER THE FORT LOGAN NATL CEMETERY. I STARTED A L TURN AND NOTICED 2 FIGHTER JETS; PERHAPS 5 MI AWAY TO THE NW; HEADING S AND BEGINNING A TURN TO THE E. I SWITCHED ON MY LNDG LIGHT AND THEY PROCEEDED TO THE E ABOUT 3 MI AWAY FROM OUR POS UNTIL THEY COULD NO LONGER BE SPOTTED; NEITHER JET HAD STROBES OR RUNNING LIGHTS ON. I CONTINUED OUR TURN S AND THEN E WHILE DSNDING TO 1100 FT AGL. OUR AIRSPD WAS ABOUT 60 KTS. BOTH JETS RETURNED; HEADING W AT OUR ALT VERY FAST AND SIDE BY SIDE. THE JET CLOSEST TO US WAS ABOUT 150 FT ABEAM OUR POS. I MAINTAINED ALT AND TURNED TO THE N TO CLR THE AREA; THEN A R TURN TO THE S TO START OUR RETURN TRIP. I HAD CHKED WX AND FLT PLANNER BEFORE THE FLT AND THE ONLY TFR OR NOTAM RPTED FOR THIS AREA WAS AT APA ABOUT 70 NM S OF THIS ENCOUNTER. I LEFT APA AROUND XA15; ADVISING TWR AS TO VFR TO BJC AREA AND THEN RETURN S. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY NEW NOTAMS TO US; OR TO ANY OTHER TFC DURING THE TIME WE MONITORED APA TWR AND I ELECTED TO REMAIN ON APA TWR THROUGHOUT OUR TIME IN THE AREA. (I HAD REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE DUE TO ALL THE CHATTER; BUT WAS ADVISED TO REMAIN WITH TWR WHILE IN THE AREA.) I'M NOT SURE IF I DID ANYTHING WRONG; IF I WAS JUST AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME; OR IF I MISSED A NOTAM FOR THAT TIME/AREA. I'M NOT 100% SURE THE JETS EVEN SAW ME; ALTHOUGH MY LNDG LIGHTS ARE PRETTY BRIGHT; THERE WAS NO INDICATION FROM EITHER JET THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO SIGNAL ME. VERY EXCITING STUFF!
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.