Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight from gon to phl. WX conditions at the time were clear skies with about 20 mi flight visibility, although there was a line of thunderstorms on V139 about 30 mi southwest of the hto VOR we were talking to ZBW on frequency 134.55 when the near miss occurred. The controller was quite busy dealing with traffic that ny center (frequency 132.95) would not accept as well as aircraft that were avoiding WX. We were level at 10000' on a 250 degree heading as assigned by ZBW. As we passed over hto VOR an fgt appeared in our 10 O'clock position northbound. The fgt started an immediate descent and passed about 200' below us. Since the fgt was maneuvering to avoid us I held our aircraft straight and level until the traffic was clear of us. At no time did ZBW provide any traffic advisories. A couple of contributing factors to this incident. First, ZBW appeared to be handling too much traffic at the time, especially since most aircraft were being vectored instead of just flying arwys. Secondly, the fgt was not talking to anyone. This is not the first time that we've gotten a good look at an fgt in the clc-hto area, these aircraft are often operating in this high density area west/O talking to ATC and letting anyone know they're out there. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter is not sure where the fgt's are based, but he suspects that they are from the factory field of the manufacturer nearby. These aircraft fly south over the ocean to warning areas to conduct tests. He said he knew they weren't talking to anyone because he was sure they were above ZNY airspace and ZBW said they were not talking to them. Reporter finds fault with military aircraft using UHF rather than VHF which reduces the value of the partyline. He said that the FAA is working on the problem.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR-LTT HAS NMAC WITH AN FGT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT FROM GON TO PHL. WX CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE CLEAR SKIES WITH ABOUT 20 MI FLT VIS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A LINE OF TSTMS ON V139 ABOUT 30 MI SW OF THE HTO VOR WE WERE TALKING TO ZBW ON FREQ 134.55 WHEN THE NEAR MISS OCCURRED. THE CTLR WAS QUITE BUSY DEALING WITH TFC THAT NY CENTER (FREQ 132.95) WOULD NOT ACCEPT AS WELL AS ACFT THAT WERE AVOIDING WX. WE WERE LEVEL AT 10000' ON A 250 DEG HDG AS ASSIGNED BY ZBW. AS WE PASSED OVER HTO VOR AN FGT APPEARED IN OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS NBND. THE FGT STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND PASSED ABOUT 200' BELOW US. SINCE THE FGT WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID US I HELD OUR ACFT STRAIGHT AND LEVEL UNTIL THE TFC WAS CLR OF US. AT NO TIME DID ZBW PROVIDE ANY TFC ADVISORIES. A COUPLE OF CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT. FIRST, ZBW APPEARED TO BE HANDLING TOO MUCH TFC AT THE TIME, ESPECIALLY SINCE MOST ACFT WERE BEING VECTORED INSTEAD OF JUST FLYING ARWYS. SECONDLY, THE FGT WAS NOT TALKING TO ANYONE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE GOTTEN A GOOD LOOK AT AN FGT IN THE CLC-HTO AREA, THESE ACFT ARE OFTEN OPERATING IN THIS HIGH DENSITY AREA W/O TALKING TO ATC AND LETTING ANYONE KNOW THEY'RE OUT THERE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR IS NOT SURE WHERE THE FGT'S ARE BASED, BUT HE SUSPECTS THAT THEY ARE FROM THE FACTORY FIELD OF THE MANUFACTURER NEARBY. THESE ACFT FLY S OVER THE OCEAN TO WARNING AREAS TO CONDUCT TESTS. HE SAID HE KNEW THEY WEREN'T TALKING TO ANYONE BECAUSE HE WAS SURE THEY WERE ABOVE ZNY AIRSPACE AND ZBW SAID THEY WERE NOT TALKING TO THEM. RPTR FINDS FAULT WITH MIL ACFT USING UHF RATHER THAN VHF WHICH REDUCES THE VALUE OF THE PARTYLINE. HE SAID THAT THE FAA IS WORKING ON THE PROB.

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.