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A320 captain observed an unknown object that passed beneath aircraft at 12500 ft while on N90 frequency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 671401 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200509 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : rbv.vortac |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12500 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 671401 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 671585 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure FAA |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
About 25 NM due east of rbv; at about 12500 ft MSL; I caught about a 2 second glimpse of something go directly underneath the aircraft. At first I thought it was another aircraft but I did not see any wings. I asked ATC if they showed an aircraft that just passed beneath me. They said there was no traffic in the area. I asked the first officer; he was flying the aircraft; if he saw anything but he said no; his head was down. It appeared to be a missile. The object was gray; had a round nose and cylindrical. It appeared to be traveling fairly fast. I did not see any contrail although there was a layer of clouds beneath the object and my line of sight. I thought about it for a min or so and concluded it looked more like a missile than anything else. I reported this to ATC. I cannot be absolutely certain it was a missile; but I don't think it was a bird or a balloon. It was definitely something; and it looked like a missile more than anything else.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 CAPT OBSERVED AN UNKNOWN OBJECT THAT PASSED BENEATH ACFT AT 12500 FT WHILE ON N90 FREQ.
Narrative: ABOUT 25 NM DUE E OF RBV; AT ABOUT 12500 FT MSL; I CAUGHT ABOUT A 2 SECOND GLIMPSE OF SOMETHING GO DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE ACFT. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER ACFT BUT I DID NOT SEE ANY WINGS. I ASKED ATC IF THEY SHOWED AN ACFT THAT JUST PASSED BENEATH ME. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA. I ASKED THE FO; HE WAS FLYING THE ACFT; IF HE SAW ANYTHING BUT HE SAID NO; HIS HEAD WAS DOWN. IT APPEARED TO BE A MISSILE. THE OBJECT WAS GRAY; HAD A ROUND NOSE AND CYLINDRICAL. IT APPEARED TO BE TRAVELING FAIRLY FAST. I DID NOT SEE ANY CONTRAIL ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A LAYER OF CLOUDS BENEATH THE OBJECT AND MY LINE OF SIGHT. I THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A MIN OR SO AND CONCLUDED IT LOOKED MORE LIKE A MISSILE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. I RPTED THIS TO ATC. I CANNOT BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN IT WAS A MISSILE; BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS A BIRD OR A BALLOON. IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING; AND IT LOOKED LIKE A MISSILE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
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.