Narrative:

IFR operations 49J (hilton head, sc) to 2j1 (evans county, GA). Departure delay because of WX conditions below IFR minimums at destination and alternate due to fog. At approximately XA40 local alternate WX at minimums (sav) improved to acceptable conditions and flight to 2j1 was commenced. Following release from 49J, ATC advised R3005 in use but MOA's not active and rerte/vectors may be necessary. Pilot response 'I will accept whatever necessary. Post departure clearance to 2000 ft heading 210 degrees with subsequent turn to 240 degrees followed by direct to sav VOR and a climb to 6000 ft then as filed (direct to 2j1). At approximately 20 mi west of sav VOR clearance was issued to descend to 2000 ft. With descent completed, ceiling found to be 3000 ft with limited visibility with haze and scattered thin clouds to surface. No traffic reported between position and 2j1. At approximately 29.5 mi (sav VOR) pilot noted aircraft directly overhead at same time engine boom and severe airframe buffet encountered. A highspd aircraft proceeding eastbound on opposite course from my aircraft passed directly overhead estimated 50 ft vertical and 0 ft horizontal. Sighting was so brief that identify was not possible but aircraft was believed to be high speed turbine aircraft and not helicopter or piston pwred equipment. Sav approach was asked if an eastbound, high speed, target was being observed and reply was 'nothing observed in your area' (now 31 DME sav VOR) at which time sav did say 'we do now see an intermittent target eastbound -- now it's gone.' following this point, with 2j1 in sight, landing was completed and personnel reported no departures that morning. Macon FSS and sav approach was called by phone and incident discussed. It is believed that the high speed aircraft was a military F-16 exiting R3005 and proceeding eastbound at 2000 ft and in excess of 350 KTS. No range code nor transponder code was observed by sav approach nor was the sav controller advised of this aircraft in this airspace nor was the MOA activated hot with sav. Sits such as this should not occur and highspd aircraft should not operate without transponder identify particularly when within approach control airspace of terminal areas. Outside of restr airspace and below 10000 ft such aircraft should be restr to 250 KTS or less and radar and voice idented.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE PLT HAS NMAC WITH MIL FGT ON SPILLOUT FROM RESTR AREA.

Narrative: IFR OPS 49J (HILTON HEAD, SC) TO 2J1 (EVANS COUNTY, GA). DEP DELAY BECAUSE OF WX CONDITIONS BELOW IFR MINIMUMS AT DEST AND ALTERNATE DUE TO FOG. AT APPROX XA40 LCL ALTERNATE WX AT MINIMUMS (SAV) IMPROVED TO ACCEPTABLE CONDITIONS AND FLT TO 2J1 WAS COMMENCED. FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM 49J, ATC ADVISED R3005 IN USE BUT MOA'S NOT ACTIVE AND RERTE/VECTORS MAY BE NECESSARY. PLT RESPONSE 'I WILL ACCEPT WHATEVER NECESSARY. POST DEP CLRNC TO 2000 FT HDG 210 DEGS WITH SUBSEQUENT TURN TO 240 DEGS FOLLOWED BY DIRECT TO SAV VOR AND A CLB TO 6000 FT THEN AS FILED (DIRECT TO 2J1). AT APPROX 20 MI W OF SAV VOR CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO DSND TO 2000 FT. WITH DSCNT COMPLETED, CEILING FOUND TO BE 3000 FT WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY WITH HAZE AND SCATTERED THIN CLOUDS TO SURFACE. NO TFC RPTED BTWN POS AND 2J1. AT APPROX 29.5 MI (SAV VOR) PLT NOTED ACFT DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AT SAME TIME ENG BOOM AND SEVERE AIRFRAME BUFFET ENCOUNTERED. A HIGHSPD ACFT PROCEEDING EBOUND ON OPPOSITE COURSE FROM MY ACFT PASSED DIRECTLY OVERHEAD ESTIMATED 50 FT VERT AND 0 FT HORIZ. SIGHTING WAS SO BRIEF THAT IDENT WAS NOT POSSIBLE BUT ACFT WAS BELIEVED TO BE HIGH SPD TURBINE ACFT AND NOT HELI OR PISTON PWRED EQUIP. SAV APCH WAS ASKED IF AN EBOUND, HIGH SPD, TARGET WAS BEING OBSERVED AND REPLY WAS 'NOTHING OBSERVED IN YOUR AREA' (NOW 31 DME SAV VOR) AT WHICH TIME SAV DID SAY 'WE DO NOW SEE AN INTERMITTENT TARGET EBOUND -- NOW IT'S GONE.' FOLLOWING THIS POINT, WITH 2J1 IN SIGHT, LNDG WAS COMPLETED AND PERSONNEL RPTED NO DEPS THAT MORNING. MACON FSS AND SAV APCH WAS CALLED BY PHONE AND INCIDENT DISCUSSED. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE HIGH SPD ACFT WAS A MIL F-16 EXITING R3005 AND PROCEEDING EBOUND AT 2000 FT AND IN EXCESS OF 350 KTS. NO RANGE CODE NOR XPONDER CODE WAS OBSERVED BY SAV APCH NOR WAS THE SAV CTLR ADVISED OF THIS ACFT IN THIS AIRSPACE NOR WAS THE MOA ACTIVATED HOT WITH SAV. SITS SUCH AS THIS SHOULD NOT OCCUR AND HIGHSPD ACFT SHOULD NOT OPERATE WITHOUT XPONDER IDENT PARTICULARLY WHEN WITHIN APCH CTL AIRSPACE OF TERMINAL AREAS. OUTSIDE OF RESTR AIRSPACE AND BELOW 10000 FT SUCH ACFT SHOULD BE RESTR TO 250 KTS OR LESS AND RADAR AND VOICE IDENTED.

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.