Narrative:

At about XA30 local time, I was on the VOR runway 18 approach to decatur, al. I was at 2400 ft MSL outbound on the 351 degree radial, about 3 NM from DCU VOR. I heard huntsville approach control calling another aircraft saying, '...traffic 1 NM at 12 O'clock position, a cherokee, suggest you climb immediately.' my safety pilot and I looked up to see an FA18 climbing from below our altitude, passing off our 1 O'clock position at about 3000 ft separation. Later, while I was completing the approach, I heard huntsville ask the pilot if he saw my aircraft on his radar. The pilot replied, 'uh...yes.' the WX was 2600 ft broken, 10 mi visibility. I was on an IFR flight plan, in controled airspace. I don't know how ATC failed to keep separation. The FA18 was evidently below our altitude, so my safety pilot could not see him over the nose of our aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 ON IFR APCH INTO DCU HAS A CONFLICT WITH AN F18 CLBING THROUGH HIS ALT.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA30 LCL TIME, I WAS ON THE VOR RWY 18 APCH TO DECATUR, AL. I WAS AT 2400 FT MSL OUTBOUND ON THE 351 DEG RADIAL, ABOUT 3 NM FROM DCU VOR. I HEARD HUNTSVILLE APCH CTL CALLING ANOTHER ACFT SAYING, '...TFC 1 NM AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, A CHEROKEE, SUGGEST YOU CLB IMMEDIATELY.' MY SAFETY PLT AND I LOOKED UP TO SEE AN FA18 CLBING FROM BELOW OUR ALT, PASSING OFF OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AT ABOUT 3000 FT SEPARATION. LATER, WHILE I WAS COMPLETING THE APCH, I HEARD HUNTSVILLE ASK THE PLT IF HE SAW MY ACFT ON HIS RADAR. THE PLT REPLIED, 'UH...YES.' THE WX WAS 2600 FT BROKEN, 10 MI VISIBILITY. I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, IN CTLED AIRSPACE. I DON'T KNOW HOW ATC FAILED TO KEEP SEPARATION. THE FA18 WAS EVIDENTLY BELOW OUR ALT, SO MY SAFETY PLT COULD NOT SEE HIM OVER THE NOSE OF OUR ACFT.

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.