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Flight crew of large transport in holding pattern at FL270, along with other air carrier's at various altitudes, observed an fgt descend through their altitude--3000' away.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 133750 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199001 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ric |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighter |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 133750 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We, along with several other aircraft, had been holding at different levels at jimbe, while approaching the holding fix jimbe on course in level flight, 32 mi north of ric VOR at assigned altitude. A military fgt with 2 engines and 2 tails painted dayglow red crossed directly in front of us, descending about 3000' (estimate) away from us, right to left. We saw the fgt at 1 O'clock, but since we were stabilized, we realized it was not a collision course and he would pass off to our left. We inquired of the controller if he had an aircraft now at our 10 O'clock. He said the aircraft had been cleared to descend VFR and he did not have time to relay the information due to the time he had to devote to all the holding aircraft. I could not believe another aircraft would be allowed to descend through a holding pattern occupied by airliners at various levels. No evasive action was required or taken.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF LGT IN HOLDING PATTERN AT FL270, ALONG WITH OTHER ACR'S AT VARIOUS ALTS, OBSERVED AN FGT DESCEND THROUGH THEIR ALT--3000' AWAY.
Narrative: WE, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER ACFT, HAD BEEN HOLDING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS AT JIMBE, WHILE APCHING THE HOLDING FIX JIMBE ON COURSE IN LEVEL FLT, 32 MI N OF RIC VOR AT ASSIGNED ALT. A MIL FGT WITH 2 ENGS AND 2 TAILS PAINTED DAYGLOW RED CROSSED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US, DSNDING ABOUT 3000' (ESTIMATE) AWAY FROM US, RIGHT TO LEFT. WE SAW THE FGT AT 1 O'CLOCK, BUT SINCE WE WERE STABILIZED, WE REALIZED IT WAS NOT A COLLISION COURSE AND HE WOULD PASS OFF TO OUR LEFT. WE INQUIRED OF THE CTLR IF HE HAD AN ACFT NOW AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK. HE SAID THE ACFT HAD BEEN CLRED TO DSND VFR AND HE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO RELAY THE INFO DUE TO THE TIME HE HAD TO DEVOTE TO ALL THE HOLDING ACFT. I COULD NOT BELIEVE ANOTHER ACFT WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DSND THROUGH A HOLDING PATTERN OCCUPIED BY AIRLINERS AT VARIOUS LEVELS. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED OR TAKEN.
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.