Unauthorized penetration of ADIZ.
Synopsis
Unauthorized penetration of ADIZ.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
Aircraft in flight close approach event. Summary: While flying on Gulf route 26, a United States registered civil aircraft was approached by an F-16 military aircraft. The F-16 approached to within less than 100 feet of the civil aircraft.
Date: December XX, 1994. Time: About XX30Z. Location: About 150 nautical miles east of GNI on Gulf route 26. Weather: Clear. Altitude: 10,500 feet. Indicated airspeed: 190 knots. Transponder code: 1200, Mode C. Approaching aircraft: F-16. No visible national markings; upper wing surfaces blue; fuselage silver; preceded by letters AF. Medium blue stripe, upper vertical stabilizer white lettering: Duluth.
The F-16 remained in close accompaniment for about 10 minutes; first to the right stepped up to the rear, then passed underneath and pulled up about even and stepped down on the left. The F-16 pilot appeared to be taking pictures with a small camera. The aircraft was handled skillfully and posed no threat to the civil aircraft.
Supplemental info from ACN 289943: Upon canceling an IFR flight plan from VRB to LCH, the flight was continued VFR. 150 miles east of GNI the flight was intercepted. No communication attempt was made by interceptor. The flight was from FL to LA and was not thought to be international. If filing a DVFR plan on a published radar route is necessary, it should be indicated on the route.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
ACFT IN FLT CLOSE APCH EVENT. SUMMARY: WHILE FLYING ON GULF RTE 26; A UNITED STATES REGISTERED CIVIL ACFT WAS APCHED BY AN F-16 MIL ACFT. THE F-16 APCHED TO WITHIN LESS THAN 100 FT OF THE CIVIL ACFT. DATE: DEC/XX/94. TIME: ABOUT XX30Z. LOCATION: ABOUT 150 NM E OF GNI ON GULF RTE 26. WX: CLR. ALT: 10500 FT. INDICATED AIRSPD: 190 KTS. XPONDER CODE: 1200; MODE C. APCHING ACFT: F-16. NO VISIBLE NATIONAL MARKINGS; UPPER WING SURFACES BLUE; FUSELAGE SILVER; PRECEDED BY LETTERS AF. MEDIUM BLUE STRIPE UPPER VERT STABILIZER WHITE LETTERING: DULUTH. THE F-16 REMAINED IN CLOSE ACCOMPANIMENT FOR ABOUT 10 MINS; FIRST TO THE R STEPPED UP TO THE REAR; THEN PASSED UNDERNEATH AND PULLED UP ABOUT EVEN AND STEPPED DOWN ON THE L. THE F-16 PLT APPEARED TO BE TAKING PICTURES WITH A SMALL CAMERA. THE ACFT WAS HANDLED SKILLFULLY AND POSED NO THREAT TO THE CIVIL ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 289943: UPON CANCELING AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM VRB TO LCH; THE FLT WAS CONTINUED VFR. 150 MI E OF GNI THE FLT WAS INTERCEPTED. NO COM ATTEMPT WAS MADE BY INTERCEPTOR. THE FLT WAS FROM FL TO LA AND WAS NOT THOUGHT TO BE INTL. IF FILING A DVFR PLAN ON A PUBLISHED RADAR RTE IS NECESSARY; IT SHOULD BE INDICATED ON THE RTE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.