C130 comes into conflict with P3 under ZJX control.

Attributes
ACN	495178
Time
Date	200011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : szw.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16300 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hercules (C-130)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : j41.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Orion (P3)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	495178
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : military pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Weather Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

C130 (us) flying cleared direct st. Petersburg. ATC issued 180 degree heading for traffic. After several mins, ATC directed to re-intercept J41 on a 130 degree heading. We questioned controller explaining we previously were cleared dir. Controller replied 'well now you're cleared to J41.' we requested a climb to 19000 from 13000 MSL. ATC granted and we initiated climb. ATC then asked if we were 'IFR.' we replied, 'yes, we are IFR.' this made the crew question whether the controller knew we were on a 'IFR flight plan' since he previouly questiioned our routing. He then asked, 'are you VMC?' we were passing through 16300 MSL and just breaking out to VFR conditions. During these couple of mins he was also coordinating an IFR pickup for a P3 departing a MOA VFR. We answered, 'affirmative, we are VFR.' controller called P3 traffic 12 O'clock opposite direction. Copilot acquired traffic several seconds later and immediately called for pilot to turn right! Pilot banked right 45 degree and P3 banked hard to his right and pulled the nose up hard. Aircraft were within 500 ft co-altitude. P3 stated to controller 'you descended us through the C130, we thought he was level!' controller said, ' didn't you see the C130?' P3 crew, 'not until the last min!'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C130 COMES INTO CONFLICT WITH P3 UNDER ZJX CTL.

Narrative: C130 (US) FLYING CLRED DIRECT ST. PETERSBURG. ATC ISSUED 180 DEG HDG FOR TFC. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, ATC DIRECTED TO RE-INTERCEPT J41 ON A 130 DEG HDG. WE QUESTIONED CTLR EXPLAINING WE PREVIOUSLY WERE CLRED DIR. CTLR REPLIED 'WELL NOW YOU'RE CLRED TO J41.' WE REQUESTED A CLB TO 19000 FROM 13000 MSL. ATC GRANTED AND WE INITIATED CLB. ATC THEN ASKED IF WE WERE 'IFR.' WE REPLIED, 'YES, WE ARE IFR.' THIS MADE THE CREW QUESTION WHETHER THE CTLR KNEW WE WERE ON A 'IFR FLT PLAN' SINCE HE PREVIOULY QUESTIIONED OUR ROUTING. HE THEN ASKED, 'ARE YOU VMC?' WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 16300 MSL AND JUST BREAKING OUT TO VFR CONDITIONS. DURING THESE COUPLE OF MINS HE WAS ALSO COORDINATING AN IFR PICKUP FOR A P3 DEPARTING A MOA VFR. WE ANSWERED, 'AFFIRMATIVE, WE ARE VFR.' CTLR CALLED P3 TFC 12 O'CLOCK OPPOSITE DIRECTION. COPLT ACQUIRED TFC SEVERAL SECS LATER AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR PLT TO TURN R! PLT BANKED R 45 DEG AND P3 BANKED HARD TO HIS R AND PULLED THE NOSE UP HARD. ACFT WERE WITHIN 500 FT CO-ALT. P3 STATED TO CTLR 'YOU DSNDED US THROUGH THE C130, WE THOUGHT HE WAS LEVEL!' CTLR SAID, ' DIDN'T YOU SEE THE C130?' P3 CREW, 'NOT UNTIL THE LAST MIN!'

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.