Narrative:

I was returning to pvg following a 1-HR sightseeing flight to vicinity of onx. While at 2500 ft; on a heading of 300-degrees at approximately 120 KTS and overhead fentress nalf (nfe); I was preparing for a training IFR GPS runway 28 approach to pvg. I had just commenced a gradual descent (approximately 300 FPM) and was taking vectors from my safety pilot when a navy E2-C hawkeye flew directly under me by no more than 300 ft and on a course of approximately 210 degrees at approximately 200 KTS. The safety pilot first observed the E2-C only seconds before the incident. No corrective action on my part was taken nor possible due to the time factor between first detection and the under flight. I did not observe the E2-C take any corrective action either. My perception is that the E2-C had either just departed oceana NAS (ntu) or fentress as the E2-C seemed to execute a normal right turn to a base leg after under-flying me for a line-up for a landing approach to fentress. I lost visual on the E2-C prior to its (probable) turn to final. My navigation lights were on throughout the flight. I did not observe any navigation lights on the E2-C. I was monitoring norfolk approach ATC throughout the flight. Contributing factors: 1) the time of day and reducing daylight conditions. 2) proximity to the military flight training field (nfe). 3) my crossing altitude and fentress tpa (unknown). 4) proximity of numerous GA; military; private and commercial airports in the hampton roads area (ie; many in a relatively small area) and overlapping IFR approach paths. Recommended corrective actions to prevent recurrence: 1) norfolk approach ATC or oceana approach ATC routinely broadcast alert/warning announcement calls when fentress is active and/or when VFR traffic is observed in the area. Bottom line: 1) situational awareness is key. 2) see and avoid applies at all times and to all pilots in VMC. 3) a collision can occur in a matter of seconds. 4) a midair collision will come out well very few times in a pilot's (or passenger's) life.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PILOT REPORTS BEING UNDERFLOWN BY MIL E2 OVER NFE 2500 FEET.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO PVG FOLLOWING A 1-HR SIGHTSEEING FLT TO VICINITY OF ONX. WHILE AT 2500 FT; ON A HDG OF 300-DEGS AT APPROX 120 KTS AND OVERHEAD FENTRESS NALF (NFE); I WAS PREPARING FOR A TRAINING IFR GPS RWY 28 APCH TO PVG. I HAD JUST COMMENCED A GRADUAL DSCNT (APPROX 300 FPM) AND WAS TAKING VECTORS FROM MY SAFETY PLT WHEN A NAVY E2-C HAWKEYE FLEW DIRECTLY UNDER ME BY NO MORE THAN 300 FT AND ON A COURSE OF APPROX 210 DEGS AT APPROX 200 KTS. THE SAFETY PLT FIRST OBSERVED THE E2-C ONLY SECONDS BEFORE THE INCIDENT. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION ON MY PART WAS TAKEN NOR POSSIBLE DUE TO THE TIME FACTOR BTWN FIRST DETECTION AND THE UNDER FLT. I DID NOT OBSERVE THE E2-C TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION EITHER. MY PERCEPTION IS THAT THE E2-C HAD EITHER JUST DEPARTED OCEANA NAS (NTU) OR FENTRESS AS THE E2-C SEEMED TO EXECUTE A NORMAL R TURN TO A BASE LEG AFTER UNDER-FLYING ME FOR A LINE-UP FOR A LNDG APCH TO FENTRESS. I LOST VISUAL ON THE E2-C PRIOR TO ITS (PROBABLE) TURN TO FINAL. MY NAV LIGHTS WERE ON THROUGHOUT THE FLT. I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY NAV LIGHTS ON THE E2-C. I WAS MONITORING NORFOLK APCH ATC THROUGHOUT THE FLT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) THE TIME OF DAY AND REDUCING DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. 2) PROX TO THE MIL FLT TRAINING FIELD (NFE). 3) MY XING ALT AND FENTRESS TPA (UNKNOWN). 4) PROX OF NUMEROUS GA; MIL; PVT AND COMMERCIAL ARPTS IN THE HAMPTON ROADS AREA (IE; MANY IN A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA) AND OVERLAPPING IFR APCH PATHS. RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: 1) NORFOLK APCH ATC OR OCEANA APCH ATC ROUTINELY BROADCAST ALERT/WARNING ANNOUNCEMENT CALLS WHEN FENTRESS IS ACTIVE AND/OR WHEN VFR TFC IS OBSERVED IN THE AREA. BOTTOM LINE: 1) SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS KEY. 2) SEE AND AVOID APPLIES AT ALL TIMES AND TO ALL PLTS IN VMC. 3) A COLLISION CAN OCCUR IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. 4) A MIDAIR COLLISION WILL COME OUT WELL VERY FEW TIMES IN A PLT'S (OR PAX'S) LIFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.