ACR X HAD NMAC LTSS WITH SMT Y BECAUSE OF ATC EQUIP PROB RADIOS FAILED. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. FACILITY RADIO FAILURE IS AN ONGOING PROB.

Narrative

ON MAY/XX/93; A NMAC (250 FT HORIZLY) OCCURRED BTWN ACR X AND AN SMT Y. BOTH ACFT WERE AT 8000 FT AND ON IFR FLTS. THE CAUSE OF THE NMAC IS THE FAILURE OF THE ATC COMS SYS; WESCOM 921. THE CTLR'S ALT AND HDG CHANGES WERE NOT RECEIVED BY EITHER ACFT. THE FAULTY AIR TFC COMS EQUIP HAS BEEN FAILING FOR AT LEAST 2 1/2 YRS. THIS LATEST FAILURE ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACTUAL COLLISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR STATED NO ACTION WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN BY FACILITY MGMNT UNTIL THE CAPT OF ACR X CALLED AND FILED AN NMAC. RPTR SAID NUMEROUS UCR'S HAD BEEN FILED ON THE RADIO EQUIP TO NO AVAIL. RPTR SAID THE NMAC RECEIVED PRESS COVERAGE AND THE RPTR CALLED HIS CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RADIO EQUIP AND THE NUMBER OF FAILURES AT THE FACILITY. DUE TO CONGRESSIONAL ACTION THE FACILITY WILL RECEIVE NEW RADIO EQUIP IN OCT/93. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 241097: ENRTE FROM IND-EVV; LEVEL AT 8000 FT ON V11; 45- 50 DME NE PXV VOR; VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 7 MI. ATC HAD BEEN QUIET SINCE OUR CHK ON. WE THEN HEARD OUR FLT NUMBER ONCE. WE ANSWERED TWICE BUT NO RESPONSE BACK. A SHORT (30-60 SECONDS?) ATC SAID; DO YOU HAVE TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK; BUT NO FLT OR ACFT NUMBER. WE LOOKED AND SAW A TWIN ENG PLANE ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH US. WE CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID A COLLISION. WE MISSED BY ABOUT 200 FT VERTICALLY WITH NO LATERAL SEPARATION. WE WOULD HAVE HIT WITHOUT THIS EVASIVE ACTION. WE THEN HEARD ATC CALL THE OTHER ACFT. ACFT ANSWERED THEM AND THEIR CONVERSATION REFLECTED PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS BY ATC TO CONTACT THEM THAT THEY DIDN'T HEAR. ACFT WAS ON OUR FREQ BUT WE HEARD NO ATTEMPTS BY ATC TO CALL ACFT OR US OTHER THAN WHAT I MENTIONED ABOVE. WE STOPPED OUR CLB AT ABOUT 8500-8600 FT AND TOLD ATC WHAT WE HAD DONE. THEY RESPONDED WITH WORDS INDICATING THEY HAD TRIED TO CALL US. FROM MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ON THE GND; THEY HAD EQUIP PROBS.