Military flight of 3 fighters on training flight unable to obtain IFR clearance from ZDC. Flight squ...

Attributes
ACN	114467
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1400
ASRS Report	114467
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

My 3 ship was flying vr 1722 but had to discontinue prior to arriving at the range for gunnery practice (R6609). We were 50 NM northwest of richmond, va, heading 060, climbing VFR. We contacted ZDC for an IFR pickup to R6609. After several minutes we were sent to a new frequency. Still maintaining VFR we were 50 NM north of richmond. Washington kept ignoring my request and kept talking to other traffic on VHF. We were on UHF. After 10 minutes of requesting center said 'look I don't have the time to get that for you and the next controller is also too busy.' totally frustrated after 15-20 minutes of trying to get an IFR pickup, fuel running low and WX deteriorating I go to patuxent river approach control. We now encounter IMC and one of my wingman goes lost wingman. I squawk 7700 emergency and pxt approach sends us back to center. ZDC gives little if no help, and says stand by. We (1 and 2) orbit trying to maintain VFR, after 10 minutes #3 wingman and I locate each other and the flight rejoins. Our fuel I show emergency level. I have no recourse, since center still will not assist and give an IFR clearance, but to climb VFR into the positive control area to VFR on top 25,500' to get home. As we head home center issues a frequency change but still no IFR clearance. On the new frequency center doesn't answer. Finally center transmits on guard 243 for us to go to guard. We do but once again center is not there to help. Martinsburg radio answers. At 70 NM west of mcguire AFB a VFR hole opens up and we descend to recover VFR at mcguire AFB. Our radios were fine! But where was center and the help requested by an emergency aircraft. We squawked 7700 for over 20 minutes. If it weren't for VFR WX around our base I have no idea how I would have recovered other than an instrument approach, and with limited gas, that would have been tight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FLT OF 3 FIGHTERS ON TRAINING FLT UNABLE TO OBTAIN IFR CLRNC FROM ZDC. FLT SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 20 MINUTES WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM ZDC. WHEN FUEL REACHED EMERGENCY CONDITION FLT FOUND VFR HOLD AND LANDED AT MILITARY BASE.

Narrative: MY 3 SHIP WAS FLYING VR 1722 BUT HAD TO DISCONTINUE PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE RANGE FOR GUNNERY PRACTICE (R6609). WE WERE 50 NM NW OF RICHMOND, VA, HDG 060, CLIMBING VFR. WE CONTACTED ZDC FOR AN IFR PICKUP TO R6609. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES WE WERE SENT TO A NEW FREQ. STILL MAINTAINING VFR WE WERE 50 NM N OF RICHMOND. WASHINGTON KEPT IGNORING MY REQUEST AND KEPT TALKING TO OTHER TFC ON VHF. WE WERE ON UHF. AFTER 10 MINUTES OF REQUESTING CENTER SAID 'LOOK I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO GET THAT FOR YOU AND THE NEXT CTLR IS ALSO TOO BUSY.' TOTALLY FRUSTRATED AFTER 15-20 MINUTES OF TRYING TO GET AN IFR PICKUP, FUEL RUNNING LOW AND WX DETERIORATING I GO TO PATUXENT RIVER APCH CTL. WE NOW ENCOUNTER IMC AND ONE OF MY WINGMAN GOES LOST WINGMAN. I SQUAWK 7700 EMER AND PXT APCH SENDS US BACK TO CENTER. ZDC GIVES LITTLE IF NO HELP, AND SAYS STAND BY. WE (1 AND 2) ORBIT TRYING TO MAINTAIN VFR, AFTER 10 MINUTES #3 WINGMAN AND I LOCATE EACH OTHER AND THE FLT REJOINS. OUR FUEL I SHOW EMER LEVEL. I HAVE NO RECOURSE, SINCE CENTER STILL WILL NOT ASSIST AND GIVE AN IFR CLRNC, BUT TO CLIMB VFR INTO THE PCA TO VFR ON TOP 25,500' TO GET HOME. AS WE HEAD HOME CENTER ISSUES A FREQ CHANGE BUT STILL NO IFR CLRNC. ON THE NEW FREQ CENTER DOESN'T ANSWER. FINALLY CENTER TRANSMITS ON GUARD 243 FOR US TO GO TO GUARD. WE DO BUT ONCE AGAIN CENTER IS NOT THERE TO HELP. MARTINSBURG RADIO ANSWERS. AT 70 NM W OF MCGUIRE AFB A VFR HOLE OPENS UP AND WE DSND TO RECOVER VFR AT MCGUIRE AFB. OUR RADIOS WERE FINE! BUT WHERE WAS CENTER AND THE HELP REQUESTED BY AN EMER ACFT. WE SQUAWKED 7700 FOR OVER 20 MINUTES. IF IT WEREN'T FOR VFR WX AROUND OUR BASE I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I WOULD HAVE RECOVERED OTHER THAN AN INST APCH, AND WITH LIMITED GAS, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN TIGHT.

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.

Military flight of 3 fighters on training flight unable to obtain IFR clearance from ZDC. Flight squawked 7700 for 20 minutes without assistance from ZDC. When fuel reached emergency condition flight found VFR hold and landed at military base.