Narrative:

We were climbing on aerotow (a C172 towplane with L-23 blanik in tow) to the northeast; upwind. The wind blowing 10 to 15 KTS 060. At approximately 3300 ft AGL; one mile northeast of our field (2b1); I looked out my right side (east) and saw the falcon low about half a mile. I got on the radio to the tow pilot with; 'jet right! Jet right!' by the time I got the words out of my mouth; the tow pilot saw the falcon pass under him to the left. I would have released for an evasive move; but felt it would cause my tow pilot to descend to the left as he usually does after a tow release. Also; I could see although it was going to be close; the falcon would pass under us as it did. I feel the problem rose as a result of the falcon either deciding to fly over our well known (21 yrs) glider area or was routed there by cape approach. We were only one mile northeast off of our field (2b1). I think a contributing factor was if on an IFR clearance as they may have been; they had a false sense of security and were not looking at us even though we were right in front of them. With 80 mile visibility; flying over a small airport at 250 KTS; there is bound to be light aircraft in the area. I think the best way to avoid this is to route the jets north or south of our area until above 5000 ft AGL. We don't tow above 4500 ft. We only see a lot of jet traffic in the summer going in and out of hyannis. Just recently we see they are being routed right over our field; often below 3000 ft. Not doing that would be a good idea. For over 21 yrs; we have done well seeing and avoiding out of 2b1. This is the first close one. I think it would be easy to not have it happen again. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that since this incident; the cape cod glider pilots have noticed an increased amount of traffic in and around their operating area. The reporter indicated that just the other day; a twin engine commuter passed directly over the field at 1000 ft. They have also seen more larger aircraft that the reporter believes to be IFR; being vectored over or near the airport. He personally spoke with the airport manager about including an ATIS notice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GLIDER PLT UNDER TOW NE OF CAPE COD (2B1); DESCRIBES A NEAR MISS WITH A FALCON 900.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING ON AEROTOW (A C172 TOWPLANE WITH L-23 BLANIK IN TOW) TO THE NE; UPWIND. THE WIND BLOWING 10 TO 15 KTS 060. AT APPROX 3300 FT AGL; ONE MILE NE OF OUR FIELD (2B1); I LOOKED OUT MY R SIDE (E) AND SAW THE FALCON LOW ABOUT HALF A MILE. I GOT ON THE RADIO TO THE TOW PLT WITH; 'JET RIGHT! JET RIGHT!' BY THE TIME I GOT THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH; THE TOW PLT SAW THE FALCON PASS UNDER HIM TO THE L. I WOULD HAVE RELEASED FOR AN EVASIVE MOVE; BUT FELT IT WOULD CAUSE MY TOW PLT TO DSND TO THE L AS HE USUALLY DOES AFTER A TOW RELEASE. ALSO; I COULD SEE ALTHOUGH IT WAS GOING TO BE CLOSE; THE FALCON WOULD PASS UNDER US AS IT DID. I FEEL THE PROB ROSE AS A RESULT OF THE FALCON EITHER DECIDING TO FLY OVER OUR WELL KNOWN (21 YRS) GLIDER AREA OR WAS ROUTED THERE BY CAPE APCH. WE WERE ONLY ONE MILE NE OFF OF OUR FIELD (2B1). I THINK A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS IF ON AN IFR CLRNC AS THEY MAY HAVE BEEN; THEY HAD A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AND WERE NOT LOOKING AT US EVEN THOUGH WE WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. WITH 80 MILE VISIBILITY; FLYING OVER A SMALL ARPT AT 250 KTS; THERE IS BOUND TO BE LIGHT ACFT IN THE AREA. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO AVOID THIS IS TO RTE THE JETS N OR S OF OUR AREA UNTIL ABOVE 5000 FT AGL. WE DON'T TOW ABOVE 4500 FT. WE ONLY SEE A LOT OF JET TFC IN THE SUMMER GOING IN AND OUT OF HYANNIS. JUST RECENTLY WE SEE THEY ARE BEING ROUTED RIGHT OVER OUR FIELD; OFTEN BELOW 3000 FT. NOT DOING THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. FOR OVER 21 YRS; WE HAVE DONE WELL SEEING AND AVOIDING OUT OF 2B1. THIS IS THE FIRST CLOSE ONE. I THINK IT WOULD BE EASY TO NOT HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT SINCE THIS INCIDENT; THE CAPE COD GLIDER PLTS HAVE NOTICED AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF TFC IN AND AROUND THEIR OPERATING AREA. THE RPTR INDICATED THAT JUST THE OTHER DAY; A TWIN ENG COMMUTER PASSED DIRECTLY OVER THE FIELD AT 1000 FT. THEY HAVE ALSO SEEN MORE LARGER ACFT THAT THE RPTR BELIEVES TO BE IFR; BEING VECTORED OVER OR NEAR THE ARPT. HE PERSONALLY SPOKE WITH THE ARPT MANAGER ABOUT INCLUDING AN ATIS NOTICE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.