Narrative:

After an all night flight to sllp flight found itself in the andes mountain range (pilots on oxygen) cleared for the ILS zulu runway 10. Cavok. Radio communication with ATC (approach and tower) was very spotty; in fact 10 minutes prior to the incident; while descending over the highest terrain; the crew found themselves completely in non-communication with ATC for about 5 minutes on all frequencies. Initial descent was given to 20;000. Flight was not advised of any traffic in the area; by approach or tower. We were given a step down from 20;000 to 18;000 and on a procedure turn outbound cleared for the approach by tower. We were passing through about 16;300 ft at 160 KTS the first officer noticed traffic on the TCAS coming from behind. The first officer went from the 20 mile scale to the 5 mile scale on the TCAS. Around 15;700 ft the traffic went form a white to yellow annunciation (traffic/traffic annunciation was heard) and the aircraft appeared directly beneath us. At 15;500 ft; the traffic went from yellow to red and an right/a to climb/climb accompanied with several expletives from the flight crew. Captain initiated an immediate/non hesitant; maximum power climb following the command of the right/a. First officer also communicated with ATC that they were in the climb responding to an right/a. ATC had no response. The response to the right/a had little effect; in fact the infringing aircraft was now 200 ft directly underneath us. It seemed as if the approaching aircraft was attempting to ram us! Following the climb directive by the TCAS system was not going to avoid a collision as the infringing aircraft was under us and climbing faster then we were. The captain; doing what he had to do to avoid a collision; in a maximum power climb; on oxygen; at 150 KTS executed a right turn in an attempt to get away form the aircraft under us. Now came time for the captain to regain control and airspeed of the aircraft; as well as situational awareness of the mountainous terrain around us (andes mountains). The first officer told ATC that they had experienced a near mid-air collision (ATC seemed to understand these words). The ATC controller immediately began communication with the infringing aircraft asking their position and DME. She also asked if they had seen us. The first officer; who is fluent in spanish; overheard the conversation; and it became apparent that the controller had no idea where the impending aircraft was and the pilot of the impending aircraft claimed that he /had us in sight/ (his gun-sights/piper maybe!). It took us approximately 4;000 ft of maneuvering to avoid a collision. We were again cleared for the approach; we made a 360 degree circling turn to loose altitude gained during the escape maneuver; configured the aircraft into a stable approach scenario and landed at a 13;313 ft elevation airport as if it was another day at the office. Upon landing in sllp we informed ATC via radio that we had experience a near-miss; air collision. The controller was trying to convince us that we had not since the departing aircraft had us in sight. The controller seemed surprised when the first officer asked for the tail number and aircraft type for the near miss report they were going to file. The ATC controller said she did not have that information and wanted to know our altitude and DME from the paz VOR when the incident occurred. We elected not to give the bolivian ATC any information via the radio; rather to provide them information via our reporting process. (We) left sllp for the next leg to slvr. The flight to slvr was uneventful. Upon parking the aircraft at a gate at slvr the flight crew noticed a bolivian government aircraft; with government of bolivia markings (large corporate type jet) parked next to us. The pilot was standing in front of the aircraft talking to some folks in suits. This jet was surrounded; in a circle; with at least 20 armed soldiers of the bolivian army. We were told by an unnamed local source thatthey thought this was the aircraft we had the near miss with. Yesterday; I flew into slvr. When we pulled into the aircraft terminal; I noticed the government of bolivia's vip airplane parked next to our gate. The pilots were in front of the aircraft and again it was surrounded by soldiers. In order to better determine what actually occurred; and to prevent any future mid air collisions in bolivia; I decide to have a friendly chat with the pilots. After getting past the soldiers; I talk to the pilots. I was informed that the aircraft a falcon 50 was recently purchased by the bolivian government--they had a civilian training pilot with them. They were in fact the presidential pilots for the president of bolivia. They are flying him in this aircraft (with a training pilot an observer). I speak spanish fluently and believe the training pilot to be either from colombia or venezuela from his accent. I told the pilots that I was one of the pilots that had a near mid air in sllp last week; and I believed that they were the other aircraft. I asked them what went wrong. At first they denied being in the air that day. I told them that I had seen them and knew they were in the air. They then admitted to being in the air around sllp when we had the near mid air. They also admitted to seeing both aircraft and said 'it was very close'. They said the impeding aircraft was not them; it was an air carrier flight. My conversation made them very uncomfortable. I told them that my responsibility as a pilot is to safely fly from point a to point B. I asked them if they would file a report about what they had seen. They said they could not do this as they are military pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An aircraft approaching SLLP had a near miss with an air carrier aircraft departing which ATC said had them in sight but which the reporter never saw. Extreme evasive actions and a 4;000 FT climb was required to avoid a collision.

Narrative: After an all night flight to SLLP flight found itself in the Andes Mountain Range (pilots on oxygen) cleared for the ILS ZULU Runway 10. CAVOK. Radio communication with ATC (Approach and Tower) was very spotty; in fact 10 minutes prior to the incident; while descending over the highest terrain; the crew found themselves completely in non-communication with ATC for about 5 minutes on all frequencies. Initial descent was given to 20;000. Flight was NOT advised of any traffic in the area; by Approach or Tower. We were given a step down from 20;000 to 18;000 and on a procedure turn outbound cleared for the approach by Tower. We were passing through about 16;300 FT at 160 KTS the First Officer noticed traffic on the TCAS coming from behind. The First Officer went from the 20 mile scale to the 5 mile scale on the TCAS. Around 15;700 FT the traffic went form a white to yellow annunciation (Traffic/Traffic Annunciation was heard) and the aircraft appeared directly beneath us. At 15;500 FT; the traffic went from yellow to red and an R/A to climb/climb accompanied with several expletives from the flight crew. Captain initiated an immediate/non hesitant; maximum power climb following the command of the R/A. First Officer also communicated with ATC that they were in the climb responding to an R/A. ATC had no response. The response to the R/A had little effect; in fact the infringing aircraft was now 200 FT directly underneath us. IT SEEMED AS IF THE APPROACHING AIRCRAFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO RAM US! Following the climb directive by the TCAS system was NOT going to avoid a collision as the infringing aircraft was under us and climbing faster then we were. The Captain; doing what he had to do to avoid a collision; in a maximum power climb; on oxygen; at 150 KTS executed a right turn in an attempt to get away form the aircraft under us. Now came time for the Captain to regain control and airspeed of the aircraft; as well as situational awareness of the mountainous terrain around us (Andes Mountains). The First Officer told ATC that they had experienced a near mid-air collision (ATC seemed to understand these words). The ATC Controller immediately began communication with the infringing aircraft asking their position and DME. She also asked if they had seen us. The First Officer; who is fluent in Spanish; overheard the conversation; and it became apparent that the Controller had no idea where the impending aircraft was and the pilot of the impending aircraft claimed that he /had us in sight/ (His gun-sights/piper MAYBE!). It took us approximately 4;000 FT of maneuvering to avoid a collision. We were again cleared for the approach; we made a 360 degree circling turn to loose altitude gained during the escape maneuver; configured the aircraft into a stable approach scenario and landed at a 13;313 FT elevation airport as if it was another day at the office. Upon landing in SLLP we informed ATC via radio that we had experience a near-miss; air collision. The Controller was trying to convince us that we had not since the departing aircraft had us in sight. The Controller seemed surprised when the First Officer asked for the tail number and aircraft type for the near miss report they were going to file. The ATC Controller said she did not have that information and wanted to know our altitude and DME from the PAZ VOR when the incident occurred. We elected NOT to give the Bolivian ATC any information via the radio; rather to provide them information via our reporting process. (We) left SLLP for the next leg to SLVR. The flight to SLVR was uneventful. Upon parking the aircraft at a gate at SLVR the flight crew noticed a Bolivian Government Aircraft; with Government of Bolivia markings (Large corporate type jet) parked next to us. The pilot was standing in front of the aircraft talking to some folks in suits. This jet was surrounded; in a circle; with at least 20 armed soldiers of the Bolivian Army. We were told by an unnamed local source thatthey thought this was the aircraft we had the near miss with. Yesterday; I flew into SLVR. When we pulled into the aircraft terminal; I noticed the Government of Bolivia's VIP Airplane parked next to our gate. The pilots were in front of the aircraft and again it was surrounded by soldiers. In order to better determine what actually occurred; and to prevent any future mid air collisions in Bolivia; I decide to have a friendly chat with the pilots. After getting past the soldiers; I talk to the pilots. I was informed that the aircraft a Falcon 50 was recently purchased by the Bolivian Government--they had a civilian training pilot with them. They were in fact the presidential pilots for the president of Bolivia. They are flying him in this aircraft (With a training pilot an observer). I speak Spanish fluently and believe the training pilot to be either from Colombia or Venezuela from his accent. I told the pilots that I was one of the pilots that had a near mid air in SLLP last week; and I believed that they were the other aircraft. I asked them what went wrong. At first they denied being in the air that day. I told them that I had seen them and knew they were in the air. They then admitted to being in the air around SLLP when we had the near mid air. They also admitted to seeing both aircraft and said 'it was very close'. They said the impeding aircraft was not them; it was an air carrier flight. My conversation made them very uncomfortable. I told them that my responsibility as a pilot is to safely fly from point A to point B. I asked them if they would file a report about what they had seen. They said they could not do this as they are military pilots.

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.