ACR X TCASII TA RA EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN DSCNT HAD NMAC WITH VFR GOV Y. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Date: 1992-05 · Aircraft: Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng

Anomalies: conflict-nmac|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

ACR X TCASII TA RA EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN DSCNT HAD NMAC WITH VFR GOV Y. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative

DURING CRUISE ACR X GOT A TCASII TA; FOLLOWED BY A DSND RA. WE NOTIFIED CTR THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO 10000 FT DUE TO A TCASII WARNING. WE SPOTTED GOV Y AS IT PASSED ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE AND 400 FT IN FRONT OF US! HE APPEARED TO BE IN A HARD R TURN TO AVOID US. WE WERE CLRED BY CTR TO MAINTAIN 10000 FT; AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD THAT THE GOV Y WAS BEING WORKED BY BUFFALO APCH. AT NO TIME WERE WE ISSUED ANY TA'S BY ATC. I BELIEVE THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE LACK OF TIMELY COORD BTWN BUFFALO APCH AND ZOB; AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GOV Y DID NOT MAINTAIN HIS ASSIGNED ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 211533: I AM ONE OF SEVERAL ACFT COMMANDERS THAT OPERATE A UNITED STATES GOV ACFT WHICH CONDUCTS NUMEROUS AIR- PHOTO MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE UNTIED STATES. ONE OF OUR PRIMARY MISSIONS IS OUR FAA ARPT OBSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM. THESE PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSIONS REQUIRE NO CLOUDS AND AT LEAST 15 NM OF VISIBILITY. EACH ARPT REQUIRES MANEUVERING WITHIN A 15-20 NM RADIUS FOR APPROX 15-20 MINS. AFTER COMPLETING PHOTOGRAPHY OVER THE DETROIT; TOLEDO; AND CLEVELAND AREAS I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL ZOB VIA LAND LINE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE SUPVR ON DUTY AT THAT TIME AND HE EXPLAINED THAT WHILE ENRTE OVER THE DETROIT AREA; HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION SO AS TO AVOID OUR ACFT. I EXPLAINED OUR MISSION TO THE SUPVR AND THAT WE DID IN FACT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT AND PROVIDED OUR OWN VISUAL SEPARATION. WHILE MANEUVERING OVER THE SELECTED ARPTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY; WE MAINTAIN 15000 FT AGL; AS MENTIONED BEFORE. THIS TRUE ALT SOMETIMES REQUIRES US TO BE AT VARIOUS ALTS FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHY. I DID NOT CONTACT ZOB BECAUSE I ASSUMED THAT THE TFC AT THE HIGHER ALTS WOULD BE LIGHT. WE RECEIVE MANY MIXED REACTIONS TO OUR REQUESTS WHEN WE DO CALL TO INFORM THE PARTICULAR CTR OF OUR INTENTIONS. THESE REACTIONS RUN THE GAMUT FROM 'DON'T BOTHER ME NOW' TO VERY RESTRICTIVE ALT AND HDG INSTRUCTIONS WHICH PRECLUDE US FROM COMPLETING OUR PHOTOGRAPHY. FROM NOW ON; IT IS STRICT POLICY OF THIS OFFICE TO ISSUE NOTIFICATION TO ALL CTR OFFICES IN WRITING AND ALSO TO CONTACT THE CTLING AGENCY FOR THE PARTICULAR AIRSPACE THAT WE ARE PHOTOGRAPHING.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.