An instructor pilot in an antique bmb may have flown low in a formation flight.

Attributes
ACN	233597
Time
Date	199302
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : x78
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ict
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	233597
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On a preplanned formation fly-over of corporate sponsor headquarters involving bmb 1, bmb 2, ftr and training with PIC in right seat, trainee in left seat, I (PIC) broke formation from 1200 ft MSL to my right and descended away from aircraft on left wing when communication from bmb 2 to break formation. Recovery may have been below 1000 ft AGL. As these aircraft travel extensively on the united states air show circuit, formation training is required. However, as PIC, I acknowledge several compounding errors: any formation below 1500 ft AGL, combining a planned fly-over with formation training, conducting formation (standard or training) as PIC in right seat without easy view of flight instruments. Note: altimeter in bmb 1 is hardly visible from right seat. As training is a part of our obligation to maintain competency, I will continue to encourage seat and flight leg rotation with following exceptions: no flying below 1500 ft AGL unless I am in left seat, no formation training in conjunction with planned fly-over.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN INSTRUCTOR PLT IN AN ANTIQUE BMB MAY HAVE FLOWN LOW IN A FORMATION FLT.

Narrative: ON A PREPLANNED FORMATION FLY-OVER OF CORPORATE SPONSOR HEADQUARTERS INVOLVING BMB 1, BMB 2, FTR AND TRAINING WITH PIC IN R SEAT, TRAINEE IN L SEAT, I (PIC) BROKE FORMATION FROM 1200 FT MSL TO MY R AND DSNDED AWAY FROM ACFT ON L WING WHEN COM FROM BMB 2 TO BREAK FORMATION. RECOVERY MAY HAVE BEEN BELOW 1000 FT AGL. AS THESE ACFT TRAVEL EXTENSIVELY ON THE UNITED STATES AIR SHOW CIRCUIT, FORMATION TRAINING IS REQUIRED. HOWEVER, AS PIC, I ACKNOWLEDGE SEVERAL COMPOUNDING ERRORS: ANY FORMATION BELOW 1500 FT AGL, COMBINING A PLANNED FLY-OVER WITH FORMATION TRAINING, CONDUCTING FORMATION (STANDARD OR TRAINING) AS PIC IN R SEAT WITHOUT EASY VIEW OF FLT INSTS. NOTE: ALTIMETER IN BMB 1 IS HARDLY VISIBLE FROM R SEAT. AS TRAINING IS A PART OF OUR OBLIGATION TO MAINTAIN COMPETENCY, I WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE SEAT AND FLT LEG ROTATION WITH FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS: NO FLYING BELOW 1500 FT AGL UNLESS I AM IN L SEAT, NO FORMATION TRAINING IN CONJUNCTION WITH PLANNED FLY-OVER.

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.