Military flight of 4 avoiding TCA used evasive maneuvers to avoid small transport.

Attributes
ACN	80789
Time
Date	198801
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ngz
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : military pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	80789
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	80812
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

As a pilot and lead aircraft of a flight of 4 navy fgt aircraft, I was descending north of the sfo TCA to bring flight into NAS alameda, ca. #3 aircraft in flight saw the twin turbo propeller and went down and right to provide additional sep. He observed the twin to go up and right. Closest point of approach was approximately 1000+'. Look out of my flight was hampered due to the light twin coming form the direction of the sun. Twin was observed early enough that a radical maneuver was not required. Twin was never a threat to the lead 'section' (2 aircraft) of the 4 aircraft flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: lead pilot started to change transponder code to VFR, turned equipment off, was distracted and did not turn it on again. Lead aircraft in formation flight only 1 to use transponder to avoid confusion. Incident might have been avoided if transponder in use.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT OF 4 AVOIDING TCA USED EVASIVE MANEUVERS TO AVOID SMT.

Narrative: AS A PLT AND LEAD ACFT OF A FLT OF 4 NAVY FGT ACFT, I WAS DSNDING N OF THE SFO TCA TO BRING FLT INTO NAS ALAMEDA, CA. #3 ACFT IN FLT SAW THE TWIN TURBO PROP AND WENT DOWN AND RIGHT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SEP. HE OBSERVED THE TWIN TO GO UP AND RIGHT. CLOSEST POINT OF APCH WAS APPROX 1000+'. LOOK OUT OF MY FLT WAS HAMPERED DUE TO THE LIGHT TWIN COMING FORM THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN. TWIN WAS OBSERVED EARLY ENOUGH THAT A RADICAL MANEUVER WAS NOT REQUIRED. TWIN WAS NEVER A THREAT TO THE LEAD 'SECTION' (2 ACFT) OF THE 4 ACFT FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: LEAD PLT STARTED TO CHANGE XPONDER CODE TO VFR, TURNED EQUIP OFF, WAS DISTRACTED AND DID NOT TURN IT ON AGAIN. LEAD ACFT IN FORMATION FLT ONLY 1 TO USE XPONDER TO AVOID CONFUSION. INCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF XPONDER IN USE.

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