37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 1690674 |
Time | |
Date | 201910 |
Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | ZAB.ARTCC |
State Reference | NM |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | Fighter |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | Cruise Climb Descent |
Route In Use | None |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Make Model Name | Citation II S2/Bravo (C550) |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
Flight Phase | Cruise |
Route In Use | VFR Route |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Person 1 | |
Function | Enroute Supervisor / CIC |
Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8 |
Events | |
Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
Aircraft X was a flight of four [fighter jets] working in a MOA 29;000 ft. And below. Aircraft Y was VFR at 17;500 ft. Transitioning the MOA to the northeast. Aircraft X saw the traffic and then proceeded over to the VFR traffic and descended down through and circled around the jet until the aircraft was no longer in the MOA. I spoke to the supervisor of flying for the fighter wing and explained to him how unprofessional it is for them to buzz a civilian aircraft who is allowed to be in the MOA. I asked him to speak to the pilots and explain to them that the MOA is not sterile airspace. I further explained how the pilot could have been startled and lost control and hurt a passenger or crashed trying to avoid the fast moving fighters that were circling around him. Another controller told me that the same thing happened on the evening shift on [date]. The fighter wing needs to train their pilots on the rules of a MOA. They need to fully understand that their actions can cause a serious safety incident. These VFR aircraft are not hostile participants in their airspace. The MOA's are shared with the rest of the flying public.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Center Controller reported that military aircraft in a MOA were buzzing a VFR jet transitioning the airspace and caused an airborne conflict.
Narrative: Aircraft X was a flight of four [fighter jets] working in a MOA 29;000 ft. and below. Aircraft Y was VFR at 17;500 ft. transitioning the MOA to the northeast. Aircraft X saw the traffic and then proceeded over to the VFR traffic and descended down through and circled around the jet until the aircraft was no longer in the MOA. I spoke to the Supervisor of Flying for the fighter wing and explained to him how unprofessional it is for them to buzz a civilian aircraft who is allowed to be in the MOA. I asked him to speak to the pilots and explain to them that the MOA is not sterile airspace. I further explained how the pilot could have been startled and lost control and hurt a passenger or crashed trying to avoid the fast moving fighters that were circling around him. Another controller told me that the same thing happened on the evening shift on [date]. The fighter wing needs to train their pilots on the rules of a MOA. They need to fully understand that their actions can cause a serious safety incident. These VFR aircraft are not hostile participants in their airspace. The MOA's are shared with the rest of the flying public.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.