Narrative:

While in cruise at 6000 we received a TA. A target appeared on the TCAS screen within the smallest ring; and +400 above our altitude. The weather was clear; and we were able to pick up the target visually; it was a ww ii vintage military trainer aircraft. Before the TA warning could complete its first 'traffic! Traffic!' it went to 'climb!' RA mode and showed a resolution climb in excess of 4;000/minute. Before we start fully responding to the RA; the traffic had gone from our 2 o'clock high position; pitched down and towards us; cutting through our altitude and flight path; going knife edge while doing so; then making a fast dive to our 10 o'clock low and moving away from us. The traffic then commenced a maneuver to position themselves in formation off our left wing; approximately 400 feet below us. Traffic was close enough to make out the markings on the airplane. Traffic remained in that position for approximately 8 seconds; before disappearing from our TCAS display; and doing a 3/4 roll; and pulling away from our aircraft. I then made a radio call something along the lines of 'radar; we're responding to an RA' and asked if they had that traffic. There was a brief silence; and center returned with 'yes. I'm told he is VFR; and had you in sight.'if ATC was; as they indicated; in contact with the aircraft; they should have called out the traffic to us for separation. Air force pilots shouldn't be out hot-rodding with 121 aircraft; or GA airplanes. Controllers should have given more details about the traffic; for us to pick up visually earlier. If we would have pulled the saab into a rapid climb of over 4;000 feet per minute; it would have been a rather healthy g-load on the aircraft; and put it in a position to stall in a nose high position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An SF340 flight crew experienced a close encounter with a vintage military trainer while in cruise at 6000 FT.

Narrative: While in cruise at 6000 we received a TA. A target appeared on the TCAS screen within the smallest ring; and +400 above our altitude. The weather was clear; and we were able to pick up the target visually; it was a WW II vintage military trainer aircraft. Before the TA warning could complete its first 'Traffic! Traffic!' it went to 'Climb!' RA mode and showed a resolution climb in excess of 4;000/minute. Before we start fully responding to the RA; the traffic had gone from our 2 o'clock high position; pitched down and towards us; cutting through our altitude and flight path; going knife edge while doing so; then making a fast dive to our 10 o'clock low and moving away from us. The traffic then commenced a maneuver to position themselves in formation off our left wing; approximately 400 feet below us. Traffic was close enough to make out the markings on the airplane. Traffic remained in that position for approximately 8 seconds; before disappearing from our TCAS display; and doing a 3/4 roll; and pulling away from our aircraft. I then made a radio call something along the lines of 'Radar; we're responding to an RA' and asked if they had that traffic. There was a brief silence; and Center returned with 'Yes. I'm told he is VFR; and had you in sight.'If ATC was; as they indicated; in contact with the aircraft; they should have called out the traffic to us for separation. Air Force pilots shouldn't be out hot-rodding with 121 aircraft; or GA airplanes. Controllers should have given more details about the traffic; for us to pick up visually earlier. If we would have pulled the Saab into a rapid climb of over 4;000 feet per minute; it would have been a rather healthy G-load on the aircraft; and put it in a position to stall in a nose high position.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.