Narrative:

2 military aircraft in standard formation at 12500 MSL sq 1200 local to mhr had a twin commuter fly between flight and nearly miss second military aircraft. Estimate air carrier at approximately 12000 MSL eastbound while we proceeded wbound. Second military aircraft didn't see air carrier. Lead military aircraft unable to warn wingman. No evasive action by air carrier. Was probably a local commuter. We normally have radar following, however, local rtbs are at times conducted under VFR conditions. Air carrier was at an incorrect directional altitude eastbound. Will advise military to emphasize radar following or controled flight in this particular vicinity. If air carrier was under controller, controller should have seen the flts position and altitude to advise air carrier of us. Fortunately my wingman and the folks in the air carrier are alive. We (our flight) have discussed the situation and how it could have been avoided. Supplemental information from acn 192837. As wingman I left frequency and went over to mhr ATIS to check on WX. Had to listen twice. When returned to squadron common I read WX to lead aircraft. His response was 'did you see that! We are glad you are alive.' I said 'what happened' and was told I had a near miss of about 200 ft with an air carrier. I didn't see it because I had my head down while writing ATIS and when I looked up I was more concerned with flying formation (loose cruise) than looking for traffic. Possibly also because it was head-on very, very clear and has small frontal area. This was closest call I've had and I never saw other aircraft. I've always said 'it's the one you don't see that's going to get you,' and it almost did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN ACR COMMUTER AND WINGMAN OF FLT OF 2 MIL FGTS.

Narrative: 2 MIL ACFT IN STANDARD FORMATION AT 12500 MSL SQ 1200 LCL TO MHR HAD A TWIN COMMUTER FLY BTWN FLT AND NEARLY MISS SECOND MIL ACFT. ESTIMATE ACR AT APPROX 12000 MSL EBOUND WHILE WE PROCEEDED WBOUND. SECOND MIL ACFT DIDN'T SEE ACR. LEAD MIL ACFT UNABLE TO WARN WINGMAN. NO EVASIVE ACTION BY ACR. WAS PROBABLY A LCL COMMUTER. WE NORMALLY HAVE RADAR FOLLOWING, HOWEVER, LCL RTBS ARE AT TIMES CONDUCTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. ACR WAS AT AN INCORRECT DIRECTIONAL ALT EBOUND. WILL ADVISE MIL TO EMPHASIZE RADAR FOLLOWING OR CTLED FLT IN THIS PARTICULAR VICINITY. IF ACR WAS UNDER CTLR, CTLR SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE FLTS POS AND ALT TO ADVISE ACR OF US. FORTUNATELY MY WINGMAN AND THE FOLKS IN THE ACR ARE ALIVE. WE (OUR FLT) HAVE DISCUSSED THE SITUATION AND HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 192837. AS WINGMAN I LEFT FREQ AND WENT OVER TO MHR ATIS TO CHK ON WX. HAD TO LISTEN TWICE. WHEN RETURNED TO SQUADRON COMMON I READ WX TO LEAD ACFT. HIS RESPONSE WAS 'DID YOU SEE THAT! WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE ALIVE.' I SAID 'WHAT HAPPENED' AND WAS TOLD I HAD A NEAR MISS OF ABOUT 200 FT WITH AN ACR. I DIDN'T SEE IT BECAUSE I HAD MY HEAD DOWN WHILE WRITING ATIS AND WHEN I LOOKED UP I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH FLYING FORMATION (LOOSE CRUISE) THAN LOOKING FOR TFC. POSSIBLY ALSO BECAUSE IT WAS HEAD-ON VERY, VERY CLR AND HAS SMALL FRONTAL AREA. THIS WAS CLOSEST CALL I'VE HAD AND I NEVER SAW OTHER ACFT. I'VE ALWAYS SAID 'IT'S THE ONE YOU DON'T SEE THAT'S GOING TO GET YOU,' AND IT ALMOST DID.

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.