Military flight returning to base on IFR flight plan penetrated TCA.

Attributes
ACN	81521
Time
Date	198801
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san airport : nkx
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : military pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 2050 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	81521
Person 2
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While entering san diego airspace from working VFR in the warning area (W-291) first contact after handoff from 'beaver control' (controling agency for W-291) received squawk and 'climb to 1 - six thousand from app. I was in the front seat and student answered, 'roger, MTR to one - six thousand.' at this time I was looking at approach plate and recovery procedures and saw altitude was 16000'. Student had already started gradual descent and I asked him to confirm altitude. He said 1600'. I asked if he was sure, he said yes, and then I told him to confirm with approach. We waited until the frequency was clear and then called approach. As we were talking, they immediately said, MTR, you are in the TCA, climb and maintain 1600O', right turn to 275 degree. We immediately complied. When we landed at miramar, we were told to call approach. The problem here was a student who mixed up 16000' with 1600'. It was coupled with an instructor who was not totally listening to what was going on as he was reviewing the approach plates. It was not deliberate. There was also a problem with the IFF not being immediately picked up by approach for whatever reason. Weather was perfect.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT RETURNING TO BASE ON IFR FLT PLAN PENETRATED TCA.

Narrative: WHILE ENTERING SAN DIEGO AIRSPACE FROM WORKING VFR IN THE WARNING AREA (W-291) FIRST CONTACT AFTER HANDOFF FROM 'BEAVER CTL' (CTLING AGENCY FOR W-291) RECEIVED SQUAWK AND 'CLIMB TO 1 - SIX THOUSAND FROM APP. I WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT AND STUDENT ANSWERED, 'ROGER, MTR TO ONE - SIX THOUSAND.' AT THIS TIME I WAS LOOKING AT APCH PLATE AND RECOVERY PROCEDURES AND SAW ALT WAS 16000'. STUDENT HAD ALREADY STARTED GRADUAL DESCENT AND I ASKED HIM TO CONFIRM ALT. HE SAID 1600'. I ASKED IF HE WAS SURE, HE SAID YES, AND THEN I TOLD HIM TO CONFIRM WITH APCH. WE WAITED UNTIL THE FREQ WAS CLEAR AND THEN CALLED APCH. AS WE WERE TALKING, THEY IMMEDIATELY SAID, MTR, YOU ARE IN THE TCA, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 1600O', R TURN TO 275 DEG. WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. WHEN WE LANDED AT MIRAMAR, WE WERE TOLD TO CALL APCH. THE PROBLEM HERE WAS A STUDENT WHO MIXED UP 16000' WITH 1600'. IT WAS COUPLED WITH AN INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS NOT TOTALLY LISTENING TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AS HE WAS REVIEWING THE APCH PLATES. IT WAS NOT DELIBERATE. THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE IFF NOT BEING IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP BY APCH FOR WHATEVER REASON. WEATHER WAS PERFECT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.