Military X after refueling failed to contact center for clearance.

Attributes
ACN	251976
Time
Date	199308
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Experimental
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	251976
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After air-refueling we gave military X his offload report, cleared him to the bottom altitude of our block (FL260), and told him to contact ZME on 354.0 for his IFR clearance. ZME was fairly busy and we were using a VHF frequency (I don't remember that frequency) so we called to confirm that 354.0 was correct. The controller told us to have him report on 306.3 for his clearance. I called military X on a/right frequency and got no reply, so I switched to guard (243.0) and gave him the new frequency (306.3) in the blind with no response. While talking to the controller and trying to sort out the clearance problem, I saw military off to the left in a hard left bank turning to what looked like a southwest heading. I told ZME what military X was doing and where we thought he was going. We got our clearance on course without further problems, but the military X apparently violated another sector's airspace. Whether a system deviation or other problem occurred, I don't know. To correct this situation from recurring: aircraft must have ATC clearance before departing a formation (like air- refueling), especially when refueling is completed early.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL X AFTER REFUELING FAILED TO CONTACT CTR FOR CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER AIR-REFUELING WE GAVE MIL X HIS OFFLOAD RPT, CLRED HIM TO THE BOTTOM ALT OF OUR BLOCK (FL260), AND TOLD HIM TO CONTACT ZME ON 354.0 FOR HIS IFR CLRNC. ZME WAS FAIRLY BUSY AND WE WERE USING A VHF FREQ (I DON'T REMEMBER THAT FREQ) SO WE CALLED TO CONFIRM THAT 354.0 WAS CORRECT. THE CTLR TOLD US TO HAVE HIM RPT ON 306.3 FOR HIS CLRNC. I CALLED MIL X ON A/R FREQ AND GOT NO REPLY, SO I SWITCHED TO GUARD (243.0) AND GAVE HIM THE NEW FREQ (306.3) IN THE BLIND WITH NO RESPONSE. WHILE TALKING TO THE CTLR AND TRYING TO SORT OUT THE CLRNC PROB, I SAW MIL OFF TO THE L IN A HARD L BANK TURNING TO WHAT LOOKED LIKE A SW HDG. I TOLD ZME WHAT MIL X WAS DOING AND WHERE WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING. WE GOT OUR CLRNC ON COURSE WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS, BUT THE MIL X APPARENTLY VIOLATED ANOTHER SECTOR'S AIRSPACE. WHETHER A SYS DEV OR OTHER PROB OCCURRED, I DON'T KNOW. TO CORRECT THIS SIT FROM RECURRING: ACFT MUST HAVE ATC CLRNC BEFORE DEPARTING A FORMATION (LIKE AIR- REFUELING), ESPECIALLY WHEN REFUELING IS COMPLETED EARLY.

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.