Narrative:

The flight was a military training flight, scenario was F16's performing defensive counter-air (dca) against F15's who were simulating iraqi mig-25's in a sweep role. The airspace was the yankee MOA from 10000 ft to FL180 and the overlying laser north, east and west atcaa's, FL180 to FL310 (see diagram). During a defensive reaction (notch) 2 F16's, aircraft X and aircraft Y descended to 18000 ft while timing out radar missiles on 1 F15. They visually acquired a plane 6 NM southwest of them (and locked it with aircraft Y radar) that they perceived to be a live F15. They proceeded to close for a visual identify (vid). They closed to 2.1 NM on the aircraft's beam at co-altitude aircraft Y at 16000 ft and aircraft X at 15000 ft and idented a commuter airliner. Aircraft X called 'knock it off' for stranger traffic and all fighters acknowledged, terminated maneuvering and returned to their points and blocks. Acfts X and Y accidentally went out the bottom of laser east atcaa by 3000 ft and 2000 ft respectively when they perceived they were within the confines of the yankee MOA. A 110 KT wind from the west contributed to the desired engagement zone (dez) occurring further east then planned. They had radar contact and tally-ho with the saab at 6 NM and closed to 2 NM for the purpose of visual identify, so there was no danger of a midair. The flight was an upgrade ride for air carrier X who is learning to be a 4-SHIP flight lead. Aircraft Y was the instructor pilot.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MIL TRAINING FLT SPILLS OUT OF THE MOA AFTER MISTAKING AN ACR ACFT FOR A PARTICIPATING TARGET ACFT. SUCCESSFUL IDENT AND RETURN TO THE MOA WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS A MIL TRAINING FLT, SCENARIO WAS F16'S PERFORMING DEFENSIVE COUNTER-AIR (DCA) AGAINST F15'S WHO WERE SIMULATING IRAQI MIG-25'S IN A SWEEP ROLE. THE AIRSPACE WAS THE YANKEE MOA FROM 10000 FT TO FL180 AND THE OVERLYING LASER N, E AND W ATCAA'S, FL180 TO FL310 (SEE DIAGRAM). DURING A DEFENSIVE REACTION (NOTCH) 2 F16'S, ACFT X AND ACFT Y DSNDED TO 18000 FT WHILE TIMING OUT RADAR MISSILES ON 1 F15. THEY VISUALLY ACQUIRED A PLANE 6 NM SW OF THEM (AND LOCKED IT WITH ACFT Y RADAR) THAT THEY PERCEIVED TO BE A LIVE F15. THEY PROCEEDED TO CLOSE FOR A VISUAL IDENT (VID). THEY CLOSED TO 2.1 NM ON THE ACFT'S BEAM AT CO-ALT ACFT Y AT 16000 FT AND ACFT X AT 15000 FT AND IDENTED A COMMUTER AIRLINER. ACFT X CALLED 'KNOCK IT OFF' FOR STRANGER TFC AND ALL FIGHTERS ACKNOWLEDGED, TERMINATED MANEUVERING AND RETURNED TO THEIR POINTS AND BLOCKS. ACFTS X AND Y ACCIDENTALLY WENT OUT THE BOTTOM OF LASER E ATCAA BY 3000 FT AND 2000 FT RESPECTIVELY WHEN THEY PERCEIVED THEY WERE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE YANKEE MOA. A 110 KT WIND FROM THE W CONTRIBUTED TO THE DESIRED ENGAGEMENT ZONE (DEZ) OCCURRING FURTHER E THEN PLANNED. THEY HAD RADAR CONTACT AND TALLY-HO WITH THE SAAB AT 6 NM AND CLOSED TO 2 NM FOR THE PURPOSE OF VISUAL IDENT, SO THERE WAS NO DANGER OF A MIDAIR. THE FLT WAS AN UPGRADE RIDE FOR ACR X WHO IS LEARNING TO BE A 4-SHIP FLT LEAD. ACFT Y WAS THE INSTRUCTOR PLT.

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.