2 flts of 4 smas in formation at staggered altitudes in airshow fly-by. Lowest formation instructed to break left for landing. They climbed as they turned into the next level formation which broke in various directions to avoid.

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Attributes
ACN	219036
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mae
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 720 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	219036
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft a in a 4 plane right echelon formation. I was #2. We were making level fly-by passes at/during the madera air show. The air boss had briefed that each type of plane (we were all trainers) would be flying at staggered altitudes. Small aircraft B's and small aircraft C's were at 200 ft AGL, small aircraft a's were at 300 ft AGL and small aircraft D's and small aircraft east's were at 400 ft AGL. As we made our fourth or fifth pass, the air boss directed the small aircraft C's to break left for landing. They were directly in front of us, stepped off to the right and at 200 ft (100 ft below us). As they broke left, they climbed up to our altitude (300 ft) causing our formation to pull up and break individually around them. Plane 1, 2, 3 pulled up and over, plane 4 dove under the small aircraft C's. Upon clearing the crossing aircraft, we made an uneventful rejoin and continue flying the show. Lessons learned: stagger laterally with breaking aircraft on the inside of the turn in addition to staggering altitudes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 FLTS OF 4 SMAS IN FORMATION AT STAGGERED ALTS IN AIRSHOW FLY-BY. LOWEST FORMATION INSTRUCTED TO BREAK L FOR LNDG. THEY CLBED AS THEY TURNED INTO THE NEXT LEVEL FORMATION WHICH BROKE IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS TO AVOID.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA A IN A 4 PLANE R ECHELON FORMATION. I WAS #2. WE WERE MAKING LEVEL FLY-BY PASSES AT/DURING THE MADERA AIR SHOW. THE AIR BOSS HAD BRIEFED THAT EACH TYPE OF PLANE (WE WERE ALL TRAINERS) WOULD BE FLYING AT STAGGERED ALTS. SMA B'S AND SMA C'S WERE AT 200 FT AGL, SMA A'S WERE AT 300 FT AGL AND SMA D'S AND SMA E'S WERE AT 400 FT AGL. AS WE MADE OUR FOURTH OR FIFTH PASS, THE AIR BOSS DIRECTED THE SMA C'S TO BREAK L FOR LNDG. THEY WERE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US, STEPPED OFF TO THE R AND AT 200 FT (100 FT BELOW US). AS THEY BROKE L, THEY CLBED UP TO OUR ALT (300 FT) CAUSING OUR FORMATION TO PULL UP AND BREAK INDIVIDUALLY AROUND THEM. PLANE 1, 2, 3 PULLED UP AND OVER, PLANE 4 DOVE UNDER THE SMA C'S. UPON CLRING THE XING ACFT, WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL REJOIN AND CONTINUE FLYING THE SHOW. LESSONS LEARNED: STAGGER LATERALLY WITH BREAKING ACFT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TURN IN ADDITION TO STAGGERING ALTS.

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.