IFR small aircraft cleared to maintain at or above 1600' by bay TRACON has close encounter with national guard aircraft departing moffett field.

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Attributes
ACN	133689
Time
Date	199001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nuq airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 290 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	133689
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot other anomaly other other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan and was in contact with ATC throughout the entire flight from san luis obispo to palo alto. I was in contact with bay approach continuously until I was told to contact palo alto tower. I was never in contact (or was told to contact) moffett tower. Southwest of moffett, bay cleared me to 2000'. When I was abeam moffett, bay said 'maintain at or above 1600' until in contact with palo alto tower.' I asked bay if she wanted me to switch over to tower now and she said yes. I started a descent and leveled off at 1700'. An air national guard aircraft took off from moffett and passed not less than 700' to my left. My passenger and I had him in sight at all times, we were well clear and at no time did we have to take evasive action. After landing at palo alto, I was asked to call moffett tower. According to moffett tower, the clearance which they had worked out with bay approach was only to 2000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR SMA CLEARED TO MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 1600' BY BAY TRACON HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH NATIONAL GUARD ACFT DEPARTING MOFFETT FIELD.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND WAS IN CONTACT WITH ATC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FLT FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TO PALO ALTO. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH BAY APCH CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT PALO ALTO TWR. I WAS NEVER IN CONTACT (OR WAS TOLD TO CONTACT) MOFFETT TWR. SW OF MOFFETT, BAY CLRED ME TO 2000'. WHEN I WAS ABEAM MOFFETT, BAY SAID 'MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 1600' UNTIL IN CONTACT WITH PALO ALTO TWR.' I ASKED BAY IF SHE WANTED ME TO SWITCH OVER TO TWR NOW AND SHE SAID YES. I STARTED A DSCNT AND LEVELED OFF AT 1700'. AN AIR NATIONAL GUARD ACFT TOOK OFF FROM MOFFETT AND PASSED NOT LESS THAN 700' TO MY LEFT. MY PAX AND I HAD HIM IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES, WE WERE WELL CLEAR AND AT NO TIME DID WE HAVE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. AFTER LNDG AT PALO ALTO, I WAS ASKED TO CALL MOFFETT TWR. ACCORDING TO MOFFETT TWR, THE CLRNC WHICH THEY HAD WORKED OUT WITH BAY APCH WAS ONLY TO 2000'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.