Narrative:

We were flying an army aircraft X on a practice instrument approach to anniston, al. We were doing the 'localizer-5' approach, and were at 3000' outbnd on the localizer, about 2 NM away from the OM, in VMC conditions and in constant radio contact with anniston FSS (non radar facility). An airlines aircraft Y was tracking inbound on the localizer, and had made no radio contact with the FSS (although birmingham approach had given FSS a 'transfer slip' as we found later), nor had the crew made their location and altitude known to any other traffic in the air traffic area using the CTAF frequency. Luckily, we saw the Y at about the same time they saw us, so we both took evasive action (us to the right, they to their right and down) and avoided a midair. It appears to me that when you are inbound to a non radar airfield, such as anb, even though you may be a scheduled commuter on an IFR flight, you should be thinking safety always and announce your position and intentions on the CTAF frequency. As described on the 'aim' you can't assume that radar will protect you to the ground, and thus use practices which will avoid possible midair conflicts. 'See and avoid'. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter reiterated the fact that he was constantly advising the FSS of their position and intentions. It is his belief that the inbound air carrier was late changing over to the CTAF/FSS frequency and was on frequency when the near midair collision occurred. The air carrier pilot immediately called FSS and stated that an near midair collision had occurred and why hadn't the FSS station called them about VFR traffic in the approach area? This was not the responsibility of FSS until the air carrier had called him with a report at least 10 mi from the airport. FSS would not know he is on frequency until he calls. Reporter estimated miss distance to be about 500'. Luck was with him as he saw sunlight reflect off the inbound air carrier's wing. Oddly enough, the air carrier crew never talked with the military MTR. Reporter stated that this air carrier operates into this airport frequently and it is a very familiar operation to them and there might be room for some complacency. He stated further that as the air carrier went by it still had the gear and flaps up, even though it was only 5 mi from the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL TRAINING ACFT ON PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APCH HAS NMAC WITH INBOUND ACR SMT ON LOCALIZER. EVASIVE MANEUVER BY BOTH ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING AN ARMY ACFT X ON A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APCH TO ANNISTON, AL. WE WERE DOING THE 'LOC-5' APCH, AND WERE AT 3000' OUTBND ON THE LOC, ABOUT 2 NM AWAY FROM THE OM, IN VMC CONDITIONS AND IN CONSTANT RADIO CONTACT WITH ANNISTON FSS (NON RADAR FAC). AN AIRLINES ACFT Y WAS TRACKING INBND ON THE LOC, AND HAD MADE NO RADIO CONTACT WITH THE FSS (ALTHOUGH BIRMINGHAM APCH HAD GIVEN FSS A 'TRANSFER SLIP' AS WE FOUND LATER), NOR HAD THE CREW MADE THEIR LOCATION AND ALT KNOWN TO ANY OTHER TFC IN THE ATA USING THE CTAF FREQ. LUCKILY, WE SAW THE Y AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THEY SAW US, SO WE BOTH TOOK EVASIVE ACTION (US TO THE RIGHT, THEY TO THEIR RIGHT AND DOWN) AND AVOIDED A MIDAIR. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT WHEN YOU ARE INBND TO A NON RADAR AIRFIELD, SUCH AS ANB, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY BE A SCHEDULED COMMUTER ON AN IFR FLT, YOU SHOULD BE THINKING SAFETY ALWAYS AND ANNOUNCE YOUR POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON THE CTAF FREQ. AS DESCRIBED ON THE 'AIM' YOU CAN'T ASSUME THAT RADAR WILL PROTECT YOU TO THE GND, AND THUS USE PRACTICES WHICH WILL AVOID POSSIBLE MIDAIR CONFLICTS. 'SEE AND AVOID'. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER REITERATED THE FACT THAT HE WAS CONSTANTLY ADVISING THE FSS OF THEIR POSITION AND INTENTIONS. IT IS HIS BELIEF THAT THE INBND ACR WAS LATE CHANGING OVER TO THE CTAF/FSS FREQ AND WAS ON FREQ WHEN THE NMAC OCCURRED. THE ACR PLT IMMEDIATELY CALLED FSS AND STATED THAT AN NMAC HAD OCCURRED AND WHY HADN'T THE FSS STATION CALLED THEM ABOUT VFR TFC IN THE APCH AREA? THIS WAS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FSS UNTIL THE ACR HAD CALLED HIM WITH A REPORT AT LEAST 10 MI FROM THE ARPT. FSS WOULD NOT KNOW HE IS ON FREQ UNTIL HE CALLS. REPORTER ESTIMATED MISS DISTANCE TO BE ABOUT 500'. LUCK WAS WITH HIM AS HE SAW SUNLIGHT REFLECT OFF THE INBOUND ACR'S WING. ODDLY ENOUGH, THE ACR CREW NEVER TALKED WITH THE MIL MTR. REPORTER STATED THAT THIS ACR OPERATES INTO THIS ARPT FREQUENTLY AND IT IS A VERY FAMILIAR OPERATION TO THEM AND THERE MIGHT BE ROOM FOR SOME COMPLACENCY. HE STATED FURTHER THAT AS THE ACR WENT BY IT STILL HAD THE GEAR AND FLAPS UP, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY 5 MI FROM THE RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.