Narrative:

My squadron was participating in a wkend exercise. We had just completed an airdrop and a formation lead change in which we assumed the #2 position of a 2-SHIP formation. We were within 10 flying mi of the air traffic area (approximately 3 mins) and still had to get the ATIS, give command post a coded message, and accomplish 4 checklists. The lead aircraft attempted to contact approach several times, but was unable to get a response due to radio saturation. Lead determined we were getting too close to the air traffic area and turned south to avoid it. Communication were finally established while on the southern heading. We were told to continue to the south, and subsequently cleared by approach for an overhead recovery to runway 35R. The formation turned left and rolled out on initial for 35R at 1500 ft AGL, 200 KIAS, and approximately 2000 ft in trail. 2 mi from the runway, the copilot yelled out 'pull up, pull up.' I came in with the power and initiated a climb simultaneously in order to avoid a possible conflict. A crew member was hurt during the climb. We terminated the formation and performed a single ship visual recovery. Factors/suggestions -- our arrival to the airport didn't provide an out. We had mountains on one side and a restr area on the other. Thorough preflight planning would have shown this and allowed us to design a different arrival, which would have given us adequate time to contact approach. We had too much going on in the cockpit with the exercise. I should have stopped all exercise activities and concentrated on real world threats. Approach should never clear an aircraft for a recovery unless crossing traffic is in sight or there is adequate separation. Supplemental information from acn 236214: cleared by approach to maneuver for overhead for runway 35R. Contacted tower for overhead, advised tower formation would like to continue through due to #2 having a 'problem.' tower cleared formation for downwind and landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE LEAD ACFT OF A 2 ACFT FORMATION INJURED ONE OF ITS CREWMEN WHILE PULLING UP TO AVOID A LIGHT ACFT.

Narrative: MY SQUADRON WAS PARTICIPATING IN A WKEND EXERCISE. WE HAD JUST COMPLETED AN AIRDROP AND A FORMATION LEAD CHANGE IN WHICH WE ASSUMED THE #2 POS OF A 2-SHIP FORMATION. WE WERE WITHIN 10 FLYING MI OF THE ATA (APPROX 3 MINS) AND STILL HAD TO GET THE ATIS, GIVE COMMAND POST A CODED MESSAGE, AND ACCOMPLISH 4 CHKLISTS. THE LEAD ACFT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT APCH SEVERAL TIMES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET A RESPONSE DUE TO RADIO SATURATION. LEAD DETERMINED WE WERE GETTING TOO CLOSE TO THE ATA AND TURNED S TO AVOID IT. COM WERE FINALLY ESTABLISHED WHILE ON THE SOUTHERN HDG. WE WERE TOLD TO CONTINUE TO THE S, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED BY APCH FOR AN OVERHEAD RECOVERY TO RWY 35R. THE FORMATION TURNED L AND ROLLED OUT ON INITIAL FOR 35R AT 1500 FT AGL, 200 KIAS, AND APPROX 2000 FT IN TRAIL. 2 MI FROM THE RWY, THE COPLT YELLED OUT 'PULL UP, PULL UP.' I CAME IN WITH THE PWR AND INITIATED A CLB SIMULTANEOUSLY IN ORDER TO AVOID A POSSIBLE CONFLICT. A CREW MEMBER WAS HURT DURING THE CLB. WE TERMINATED THE FORMATION AND PERFORMED A SINGLE SHIP VISUAL RECOVERY. FACTORS/SUGGESTIONS -- OUR ARR TO THE ARPT DIDN'T PROVIDE AN OUT. WE HAD MOUNTAINS ON ONE SIDE AND A RESTR AREA ON THE OTHER. THOROUGH PREFLT PLANNING WOULD HAVE SHOWN THIS AND ALLOWED US TO DESIGN A DIFFERENT ARR, WHICH WOULD HAVE GIVEN US ADEQUATE TIME TO CONTACT APCH. WE HAD TOO MUCH GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT WITH THE EXERCISE. I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ALL EXERCISE ACTIVITIES AND CONCENTRATED ON REAL WORLD THREATS. APCH SHOULD NEVER CLR AN ACFT FOR A RECOVERY UNLESS XING TFC IS IN SIGHT OR THERE IS ADEQUATE SEPARATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 236214: CLRED BY APCH TO MANEUVER FOR OVERHEAD FOR RWY 35R. CONTACTED TWR FOR OVERHEAD, ADVISED TWR FORMATION WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THROUGH DUE TO #2 HAVING A 'PROB.' TWR CLRED FORMATION FOR DOWNWIND AND LNDG.

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.