Narrative:

On jan/92 at approximately XX20 local small transport X was traveling from onl to tcc on a direct route at 12000 ft. Military bmb was exiting IR501 in a climb to 14000 ft. The reasoning for exiting in a climb to 14000 ft is because the exit point is in uncontrolled airspace. The problem exists because as controllers we are limited in duties by the uncontrolled airspace and the fact that we are not in contact with the exiting bmb while we have no authority or responsibility for exercising control over air traffic in uncontrolled airspace, we have a moral obligation to take action in order to prevent a serious incident. In this specific situation, the controller was tasked with trying to move a light aircraft traveling at 160 KTS out of the way of a bmb traveling at 500 KTS and climbing though the altitude of the light aircraft. The fact that the aircraft are not required to accept our clrncs while in uncontrolled airspace is also a limiting factor. Our specialty does not have a guard frequency which is used to contact military aircraft since they constantly monitor this frequency. If we had this frequency at our disposal we could contact the military aircraft and advise them of the traffic prior to them departing the route. As it is now, we must wait for the military aircraft to contact us and hope it is soon enough for us to issue advisories. Or we must relay messages through FSS or denver ARTCC. As a resolution, I suggest that we have a guard frequency installed as soon as possible and that the air force review their procedure of climbing to 14000 ft before contacting the ARTCC. Although no incident occurred in this instance the potential is there for a serious accident.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL BMB EXIT IR501 UNCTLED AIRSPACE CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT SMT X. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT. SITUATION GUARD FREQ NOT AT SECTOR.

Narrative: ON JAN/92 AT APPROX XX20 LCL SMT X WAS TRAVELING FROM ONL TO TCC ON A DIRECT RTE AT 12000 FT. MIL BMB WAS EXITING IR501 IN A CLB TO 14000 FT. THE REASONING FOR EXITING IN A CLB TO 14000 FT IS BECAUSE THE EXIT POINT IS IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE. THE PROBLEM EXISTS BECAUSE AS CTLRS WE ARE LIMITED IN DUTIES BY THE UNCTLED AIRSPACE AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE EXITING BMB WHILE WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR EXERCISING CTL OVER AIR TFC IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE, WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO TAKE ACTION IN ORDER TO PREVENT A SERIOUS INCIDENT. IN THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION, THE CTLR WAS TASKED WITH TRYING TO MOVE A LIGHT ACFT TRAVELING AT 160 KTS OUT OF THE WAY OF A BMB TRAVELING AT 500 KTS AND CLBING THOUGH THE ALT OF THE LIGHT ACFT. THE FACT THAT THE ACFT ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ACCEPT OUR CLRNCS WHILE IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE IS ALSO A LIMITING FACTOR. OUR SPECIALTY DOES NOT HAVE A GUARD FREQ WHICH IS USED TO CONTACT MIL ACFT SINCE THEY CONSTANTLY MONITOR THIS FREQ. IF WE HAD THIS FREQ AT OUR DISPOSAL WE COULD CONTACT THE MIL ACFT AND ADVISE THEM OF THE TFC PRIOR TO THEM DEPARTING THE RTE. AS IT IS NOW, WE MUST WAIT FOR THE MIL ACFT TO CONTACT US AND HOPE IT IS SOON ENOUGH FOR US TO ISSUE ADVISORIES. OR WE MUST RELAY MESSAGES THROUGH FSS OR DENVER ARTCC. AS A RESOLUTION, I SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE A GUARD FREQ INSTALLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THAT THE AIR FORCE REVIEW THEIR PROC OF CLBING TO 14000 FT BEFORE CONTACTING THE ARTCC. ALTHOUGH NO INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THIS INSTANCE THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

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.