Narrative:

Problem arose while flying in class B new york airspace. Under instructions of ZNY I was proceeding on course from cri VOR to col VOR at 3500 ft MSL, heading approximately 227 degrees. Was then instructed by ZNY to change to 270 degree heading, maintaining 3500 ft MSL. Idented/saw B747 aircraft at 10 O'clock heading north at approximately same altitude (3500 ft MSL) and less than 1500 ft horizontal distance from my aircraft. I advised ZNY of same. ZNY alerted B747 aircraft on same radio frequency to 'turn right (east) immediately.' B747 did not respond and continued on north heading. I urgently advised ZNY of concern that B747 was closing in on my position, less than 1000 ft horizontal distance from my aircraft. ZNY did not acknowledge my radio call. ZNY then repeated radio message to B747 to turn right immediately. The B747 did not respond nor did it take corrective action. In an effort to avoid a collision with the B747 I took evasive action of trying to turn right (away and around) the B747's path (north heading). As a result, my aircraft descended approximately 200 ft during the turn. ZNY again urgently alerted the B747 to turn east, and at the same time urgently alerted me to climb. I immediately climbed to 3600 ft MSL while continuing a turn to avoid the oncoming B747. Cause of problem: ATC failure to advise of B747 traffic in close proximity of my aircraft and not advising me of corrective action to take versus the B747. If there was no danger in the judgement of the ATC, an acknowledgement to my second radio call advising me of same would have prevented me from taking evasive action into my own hands. Follow-up: prior to release from class B airspace, I was advised by newark, nj, ATC to call by phone when I landed at my destination (solberg N51, nj). Upon my return I immediately called newark ATC and discussed the event/situation with a supervisor who advised that the jfk ATC controller and supervisor wanted to discuss the situation with me. ZNY was not available for the phone call. I then provided the newark ATC with my home telephone number and advised that ZNY could contact me at home at their convenience to discuss. I never received a call from ZNY. Summary: I am very sensitive to the importance of following ATC instructions, and agree they must be followed. However, I have traveled in new york class B airspace with my CFI in the past and we encountered a similar situation where ATC was not aware of proximity of large aircraft while on approach. In this situation, my CFI took control of our aircraft to handle the result of the turbulence caused by that situation. Again, ATC could have controled the situation better with effective radio advisories.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING IN ORDER TO AVOID A POTENTIAL COLLISION WITH A B747 IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. ATC TRIED TO CONTACT THE B747 IN ORDER TO TURN THE ACFT AWAY FROM THE RPTR'S FLT PATH, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

Narrative: PROB AROSE WHILE FLYING IN CLASS B NEW YORK AIRSPACE. UNDER INSTRUCTIONS OF ZNY I WAS PROCEEDING ON COURSE FROM CRI VOR TO COL VOR AT 3500 FT MSL, HDG APPROX 227 DEGS. WAS THEN INSTRUCTED BY ZNY TO CHANGE TO 270 DEG HDG, MAINTAINING 3500 FT MSL. IDENTED/SAW B747 ACFT AT 10 O'CLOCK HDG N AT APPROX SAME ALT (3500 FT MSL) AND LESS THAN 1500 FT HORIZ DISTANCE FROM MY ACFT. I ADVISED ZNY OF SAME. ZNY ALERTED B747 ACFT ON SAME RADIO FREQ TO 'TURN R (E) IMMEDIATELY.' B747 DID NOT RESPOND AND CONTINUED ON N HDG. I URGENTLY ADVISED ZNY OF CONCERN THAT B747 WAS CLOSING IN ON MY POS, LESS THAN 1000 FT HORIZ DISTANCE FROM MY ACFT. ZNY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY RADIO CALL. ZNY THEN REPEATED RADIO MESSAGE TO B747 TO TURN R IMMEDIATELY. THE B747 DID NOT RESPOND NOR DID IT TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE B747 I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION OF TRYING TO TURN R (AWAY AND AROUND) THE B747'S PATH (N HDG). AS A RESULT, MY ACFT DSNDED APPROX 200 FT DURING THE TURN. ZNY AGAIN URGENTLY ALERTED THE B747 TO TURN E, AND AT THE SAME TIME URGENTLY ALERTED ME TO CLB. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 3600 FT MSL WHILE CONTINUING A TURN TO AVOID THE ONCOMING B747. CAUSE OF PROB: ATC FAILURE TO ADVISE OF B747 TFC IN CLOSE PROX OF MY ACFT AND NOT ADVISING ME OF CORRECTIVE ACTION TO TAKE VERSUS THE B747. IF THERE WAS NO DANGER IN THE JUDGEMENT OF THE ATC, AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO MY SECOND RADIO CALL ADVISING ME OF SAME WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM TAKING EVASIVE ACTION INTO MY OWN HANDS. FOLLOW-UP: PRIOR TO RELEASE FROM CLASS B AIRSPACE, I WAS ADVISED BY NEWARK, NJ, ATC TO CALL BY PHONE WHEN I LANDED AT MY DEST (SOLBERG N51, NJ). UPON MY RETURN I IMMEDIATELY CALLED NEWARK ATC AND DISCUSSED THE EVENT/SIT WITH A SUPVR WHO ADVISED THAT THE JFK ATC CTLR AND SUPVR WANTED TO DISCUSS THE SIT WITH ME. ZNY WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE PHONE CALL. I THEN PROVIDED THE NEWARK ATC WITH MY HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER AND ADVISED THAT ZNY COULD CONTACT ME AT HOME AT THEIR CONVENIENCE TO DISCUSS. I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL FROM ZNY. SUMMARY: I AM VERY SENSITIVE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING ATC INSTRUCTIONS, AND AGREE THEY MUST BE FOLLOWED. HOWEVER, I HAVE TRAVELED IN NEW YORK CLASS B AIRSPACE WITH MY CFI IN THE PAST AND WE ENCOUNTERED A SIMILAR SIT WHERE ATC WAS NOT AWARE OF PROX OF LARGE ACFT WHILE ON APCH. IN THIS SIT, MY CFI TOOK CTL OF OUR ACFT TO HANDLE THE RESULT OF THE TURB CAUSED BY THAT SIT. AGAIN, ATC COULD HAVE CTLED THE SIT BETTER WITH EFFECTIVE RADIO ADVISORIES.

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.