Narrative:

While cruising at FL310 on nat 'C' approximately 30 NM east of 62 degrees north, 30 degrees west, and communicating with bird on VHF, squawking XXXX, and in radar coverage, we received a TA through TCASII which showed an aircraft 500 ft beneath us and climbing. At 300 ft separation we received an RA which called for a climb maneuver at 2000 FPM minimum. We maneuvered upward and to the left away from the unseen traffic and away from an air carrier flight which was in visual contact 4000 ft above us. We leveled at FL320 briefly, then contacted reykjavik control to report the incident and our altitude deviation. We then returned to FL310 and requested information on the conflicting traffic. Reykjavik advised us that they would be unable to provide any information on the traffic. They also cleared us to leave track 'C' to proceed to track 'D' joining track 'D' at 61 degrees north, 40 degrees west. We were later informed by our company that the aircraft which suddenly appeared beneath us was a military aircraft following a hijacked air carrier flight. I do understand the need for radio silence, but saying that, I think it was extremely poor technique on the part of the military fighter, and it appears that the pilot was unaware that we were equipped with the TCASII system. It appears that the fighter was being radar vectored to our position, and was talking on a discrete radio frequency. If indeed the fighter had to make an aircraft identify, there was no point in getting within 200 ft of a wide bodied air carrier. This pilot's actions created an alarming situation. Evasive action upset my passenger, and also my crew, because we thought we were being overrun by another airliner. I would like a thorough investigation of this incident, with a written report submitted to me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB HAS TCASII RA CAUSED BY FGT CHASING A HIJACKED LGT OVER THE ATLANTIC.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL310 ON NAT 'C' APPROX 30 NM E OF 62 DEGS N, 30 DEGS W, AND COMMUNICATING WITH BIRD ON VHF, SQUAWKING XXXX, AND IN RADAR COVERAGE, WE RECEIVED A TA THROUGH TCASII WHICH SHOWED AN ACFT 500 FT BENEATH US AND CLBING. AT 300 FT SEPARATION WE RECEIVED AN RA WHICH CALLED FOR A CLB MANEUVER AT 2000 FPM MINIMUM. WE MANEUVERED UPWARD AND TO THE L AWAY FROM THE UNSEEN TFC AND AWAY FROM AN ACR FLT WHICH WAS IN VISUAL CONTACT 4000 FT ABOVE US. WE LEVELED AT FL320 BRIEFLY, THEN CONTACTED REYKJAVIK CTL TO RPT THE INCIDENT AND OUR ALTDEV. WE THEN RETURNED TO FL310 AND REQUESTED INFO ON THE CONFLICTING TFC. REYKJAVIK ADVISED US THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY INFO ON THE TFC. THEY ALSO CLRED US TO LEAVE TRACK 'C' TO PROCEED TO TRACK 'D' JOINING TRACK 'D' AT 61 DEGS N, 40 DEGS W. WE WERE LATER INFORMED BY OUR COMPANY THAT THE ACFT WHICH SUDDENLY APPEARED BENEATH US WAS A MIL ACFT FOLLOWING A HIJACKED ACR FLT. I DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR RADIO SILENCE, BUT SAYING THAT, I THINK IT WAS EXTREMELY POOR TECHNIQUE ON THE PART OF THE MIL FIGHTER, AND IT APPEARS THAT THE PLT WAS UNAWARE THAT WE WERE EQUIPPED WITH THE TCASII SYS. IT APPEARS THAT THE FIGHTER WAS BEING RADAR VECTORED TO OUR POS, AND WAS TALKING ON A DISCRETE RADIO FREQ. IF INDEED THE FIGHTER HAD TO MAKE AN ACFT IDENT, THERE WAS NO POINT IN GETTING WITHIN 200 FT OF A WIDE BODIED ACR. THIS PLT'S ACTIONS CREATED AN ALARMING SIT. EVASIVE ACTION UPSET MY PAX, AND ALSO MY CREW, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE WERE BEING OVERRUN BY ANOTHER AIRLINER. I WOULD LIKE A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THIS INCIDENT, WITH A WRITTEN RPT SUBMITTED TO ME.

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.