NMAC IN PROX OF VFR MIL TRAINING RTE. C-140 VS F-15. NO CONTEST.
Synopsis
NMAC IN PROX OF VFR MIL TRAINING RTE. C-140 VS F-15. NO CONTEST.
Narrative
ON JAN/XX/94; I WAS RETURNING TO RYAN FIELD (RYN) FROM AURA VALLEY (E14) FLYING SOLO IN MY CESSNA-140. THE DISTANCE OF THE FLT IS ONLY 16 NM AND THE WX WAS CAVU. I WAS LEVEL AT 3200 FT MSL (ABOUT 1000 FT AGL); ABOUT 5 MI S OF AURA VALLEY; WITH XPONDER SET AT 1200 AND HDG AROUND 230 DEGS. THIS HDG WOULD TAKE ME WELL W OF MY DIRECT RTE TO RYAN FIELD. HOWEVER; THIS WOULD GIVE ME A GOOD CLRNC FROM AN 'AEROBATICS BOX' JUST SE OF AURA VALLEY AND WOULD KEEP ME W OF THE SAGUARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. I DECIDED IT WOULD BE EASIER ON SUCH A SHORT FLT TO FLY AROUND THE MONUMENT THAN TO CLB TO THE REQUESTED 2000 FT AGL. SUDDENLY AN F-15 APPEARED A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET ABOVE MY R WING! THE F-15 PASSED ME; DSNDING AND LEVELED OFF AT MY ALT. IT IMMEDIATELY OCCURRED TO ME THAT THESE MIL FLTS ARE ALWAYS IN PAIRS. I WAITED AN ETERNITY (A COUPLE SECONDS ON MY WATCH) LOOKING DESPERATELY FOR THE SECOND F-15 BEFORE SPOTTING IT BELOW ME AND MUCH FARTHER AWAY OFF MY L WING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE F-15 EVER SAW ME OR IF IT PASSED THAT CLOSE ON PURPOSE. MY PLANE DID HAVE ITS STROBE LIGHT ON; BUT IT STILL COULD HAVE BEEN MISSED AMONG THE OTHER CLUTTER ON THE GND. THERE IS NO WAY I COULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING AS THERE IS NO REAR WINDOW ON A C-140. EVEN THOUGH THE F-15'S WERE FOLLOWING MIL TRAINING RTE (VR244-246); I WOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED AN ENCOUNTER LIKE THIS AT SUCH A LOW ALT; NEAR THE NATIONAL MONUMENT; IN AIRSPACE THAT IS HEAVILY USED FOR CIVILIAN FLT TRAINING; AND SO CLOSE TO AN 'AEROBATICS BOX'. I WON'T MAKE SUCH ASSUMPTIONS IN THE FUTURE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.