Narrative:

I was flight lead of an F16 6 ship package departing fat for the R2508 airspace. I was 'X1.' the IFR clearance was for 'X,' flight of 4, and 'Y,' flight of 2. The departure sequence was 2+2+2 with 2 mi separation between the elements of 2 (reference picture on the back). When I checked in on departure frequency, the departure controller did not understand 'Y.' he gave the 'X' flight (me) a clearance of runway heading to 10000 ft MSL. He then tried to give the 'Y' flight their own clearance, whereas we were all together as a flight of 6. As I was trying to straighten out the clearance misunderstanding, he gave me a right turn direct on course when passing 8000 ft MSL. While I was in my turn on course, I was still trying to get the controller to understand that we were essentially a flight of 6, and the 'Y' flight is coming with me. While I got wrapped up trying to clear this up and take care of my wingmen, I passed through 10000 ft up to 10600 ft MSL. Departure controller tells me to descend immediately (which I do to 10000 ft) for traffic deconfliction from a brasilia commuter turboprop aircraft descending to 11000 ft MSL. A pilot deviation was filed from the controller with the fat FAA FSDO. Yes, I busted my altitude, but a severely contributing factor was that I spent all my time trying to explain to the departure controller how 'the system' works. And yes, we practice CRM in this squadron. My #2 man couldn't talk to me on our separate interflt radio because of an inoperative transmitter. The other wing men were too far behind to see the altitude bust. By the way, clearance delivery clearly understood the clearance request. All 6 aircraft had their own mode 3 squawks and I told them that 'X1' and 'Y2' would be squawking on departure (lead and 'tail end charlie').

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT OF 6 F16 FIGHTERS DEPARTING ARPT. LEAD PLT OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT PARTIALLY DUE TO DEP CTLR CONFUSION ABOUT THE 2 FLT GROUPS' CALL SIGNS AND FLT PLAN WITH RPTR TRYING TO HELP CTLR UNDERSTAND THE SIT. THE ALTDEV CAUSED LOSS OF SEPARATION, SO A PLTDEV WAS FILED BY THE CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS FLT LEAD OF AN F16 6 SHIP PACKAGE DEPARTING FAT FOR THE R2508 AIRSPACE. I WAS 'X1.' THE IFR CLRNC WAS FOR 'X,' FLT OF 4, AND 'Y,' FLT OF 2. THE DEP SEQUENCE WAS 2+2+2 WITH 2 MI SEPARATION BTWN THE ELEMENTS OF 2 (REF PICTURE ON THE BACK). WHEN I CHKED IN ON DEP FREQ, THE DEP CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND 'Y.' HE GAVE THE 'X' FLT (ME) A CLRNC OF RWY HDG TO 10000 FT MSL. HE THEN TRIED TO GIVE THE 'Y' FLT THEIR OWN CLRNC, WHEREAS WE WERE ALL TOGETHER AS A FLT OF 6. AS I WAS TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE CLRNC MISUNDERSTANDING, HE GAVE ME A R TURN DIRECT ON COURSE WHEN PASSING 8000 FT MSL. WHILE I WAS IN MY TURN ON COURSE, I WAS STILL TRYING TO GET THE CTLR TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE ESSENTIALLY A FLT OF 6, AND THE 'Y' FLT IS COMING WITH ME. WHILE I GOT WRAPPED UP TRYING TO CLR THIS UP AND TAKE CARE OF MY WINGMEN, I PASSED THROUGH 10000 FT UP TO 10600 FT MSL. DEP CTLR TELLS ME TO DSND IMMEDIATELY (WHICH I DO TO 10000 FT) FOR TFC DECONFLICTION FROM A BRASILIA COMMUTER TURBOPROP ACFT DSNDING TO 11000 FT MSL. A PLTDEV WAS FILED FROM THE CTLR WITH THE FAT FAA FSDO. YES, I BUSTED MY ALT, BUT A SEVERELY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT I SPENT ALL MY TIME TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO THE DEP CTLR HOW 'THE SYS' WORKS. AND YES, WE PRACTICE CRM IN THIS SQUADRON. MY #2 MAN COULDN'T TALK TO ME ON OUR SEPARATE INTERFLT RADIO BECAUSE OF AN INOP XMITTER. THE OTHER WING MEN WERE TOO FAR BEHIND TO SEE THE ALT BUST. BY THE WAY, CLRNC DELIVERY CLRLY UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC REQUEST. ALL 6 ACFT HAD THEIR OWN MODE 3 SQUAWKS AND I TOLD THEM THAT 'X1' AND 'Y2' WOULD BE SQUAWKING ON DEP (LEAD AND 'TAIL END CHARLIE').

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.