Narrative:

ZKC alleged that we spilled out of the eureka MOA (ks) on the north side by 4-5 NM and that the flight of 2 fgt's came within 2.25 NM and 600' of an small transport which was climbing out from wichita. ZKC notified us that we were north of the area boundary ict 079 degree right. At the time of notification, our TACAN showed that we were on the 082 degree right, although the TACAN bearing pointer was oscillating somewhat between the 082 degree R-078 degree right. We then proceeded south toward the center of the area. No evasive action was taken. Probable causes: 1) flight was actually closer to northern boundary than they realized at beginning of engagement. 2) it is difficult to monitor TACAN radials when looking over one's shoulder. 3) there was no visibility ground reference due to the solid undercast. 4) the small transport may have been off arwy. Solutions: 1) have gci/ATC actively monitor MOA's and advise aircraft when approaching borders. 2) establish buffers around MOA's (establishing buffer inside MOA's would make some of them useless). 3) initiate engagements converging rather than diverging from centerline of area. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter is air national guard pilot and corp pilot. He was not aware of the spillout due to an erroneous TACAN reading, but knew that he was close to MOA boundary. There was no military controller to monitor flight in MOA. When the reporter was notified of the spillout by ARTCC controller, the flight of 2 proceeded back into the MOA. They did not see the traffic they conflicted with.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT INADVERTENTLY SPILLED OUT OF MOA AND CONFLICTED WITH AN IFR SMT BEING WORKED BY ARTCC. PLT DEVIATION.

Narrative: ZKC ALLEGED THAT WE SPILLED OUT OF THE EUREKA MOA (KS) ON THE N SIDE BY 4-5 NM AND THAT THE FLT OF 2 FGT'S CAME WITHIN 2.25 NM AND 600' OF AN SMT WHICH WAS CLBING OUT FROM WICHITA. ZKC NOTIFIED US THAT WE WERE N OF THE AREA BOUNDARY ICT 079 DEG R. AT THE TIME OF NOTIFICATION, OUR TACAN SHOWED THAT WE WERE ON THE 082 DEG R, ALTHOUGH THE TACAN BEARING POINTER WAS OSCILLATING SOMEWHAT BTWN THE 082 DEG R-078 DEG R. WE THEN PROCEEDED S TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE AREA. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. PROBABLE CAUSES: 1) FLT WAS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO NORTHERN BOUNDARY THAN THEY REALIZED AT BEGINNING OF ENGAGEMENT. 2) IT IS DIFFICULT TO MONITOR TACAN RADIALS WHEN LOOKING OVER ONE'S SHOULDER. 3) THERE WAS NO VIS GND REF DUE TO THE SOLID UNDERCAST. 4) THE SMT MAY HAVE BEEN OFF ARWY. SOLUTIONS: 1) HAVE GCI/ATC ACTIVELY MONITOR MOA'S AND ADVISE ACFT WHEN APCHING BORDERS. 2) ESTABLISH BUFFERS AROUND MOA'S (ESTABLISHING BUFFER INSIDE MOA'S WOULD MAKE SOME OF THEM USELESS). 3) INITIATE ENGAGEMENTS CONVERGING RATHER THAN DIVERGING FROM CENTERLINE OF AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR IS AIR NATL GUARD PLT AND CORP PLT. HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SPILLOUT DUE TO AN ERRONEOUS TACAN READING, BUT KNEW THAT HE WAS CLOSE TO MOA BOUNDARY. THERE WAS NO MIL CTLR TO MONITOR FLT IN MOA. WHEN THE RPTR WAS NOTIFIED OF THE SPILLOUT BY ARTCC CTLR, THE FLT OF 2 PROCEEDED BACK INTO THE MOA. THEY DID NOT SEE THE TFC THEY CONFLICTED WITH.

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.