Narrative:

The planned training mission was centered around our assigned time in the pecos MOA. We were hoping to practice aerobatics, zero G acceleration maneuvers, slow flight, approach to stalls, and an aircraft handling exercise at several different wing sweeps. We were booked for pecos south MOA from XA15 to XA45Z. Approaching the MOA at 16000 ft MSL we requested clearance into pecos MOA, block 500 ft to FL230. ZAB cleared us in to the MOA restr to remain below 16000 ft MSL due to civilian traffic transiting the MOA. Also, we were advised that another F-111 was in the airspace. We were cleared to the pecos tactical frequency and made a call to the other F-111 in the pecos. He was established in pecos east and west which we had to transition through to get to our booked area in the south. We coordinated with him to transition through in a block of 14000 ft to 16000 ft MSL. I had the attack radar set in an air search mode of 30 NM scope at 1 degree above horizon looking for the other traffic. My student and I were discussing the altitude restriction of 16000 ft and how we could not accomplish several planned training events since we were not cleared to a high enough altitude to allow for the required safety margin. At the same time, we were rolling 20 degrees of bank left and right to clear out for the traffic below and I was pointing out the ground references in the MOA for my student's benefit. At XB18Z ZAB directed us to descend immediately below 16000 ft MSL. There was civilian traffic in close proximity. I looked in at the altimeter which read 16500 ft MSL as my student initiated a roll to the inverted then a 3 G pull down to below 16000 ft MSL. ZAB had not provided a traffic call for the civilian aircraft in my proximity. Several mins later, ZAB told us he may file a violation north us for exceeding 16000 ft with traffic inside of 5 mi. I take full responsibility for my aircraft and the inadvertent climb 500 ft above the assigned altitude. The whole situation would have been averted if ZAB had provided a traffic crossing call for the civilian aircraft transiting the MOA. Also, I am disappointed that center restr my assigned mission for the convenience of a private aircraft to transition the NOTAM'ed hot military airspace. I've been an air force instructor for a long time with many an hour in MOA's with students and this is the first time I've ever encountered an IFR civilian allowed in the same airspace. Military flight training counts on these MOA's because this is the only airspace which allows students an opportunity to really maneuver their aircraft's to gain confidence in their platform. I spent more time clearing our flight path for traffic than I did on monitoring our altitude control and inadvertently allowed my student to exceed assigned altitude. We were doing our best at the time to be professional air crewmen and fly the proper procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT.

Narrative: THE PLANNED TRAINING MISSION WAS CTRED AROUND OUR ASSIGNED TIME IN THE PECOS MOA. WE WERE HOPING TO PRACTICE AEROBATICS, ZERO G ACCELERATION MANEUVERS, SLOW FLT, APCH TO STALLS, AND AN ACFT HANDLING EXERCISE AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT WING SWEEPS. WE WERE BOOKED FOR PECOS S MOA FROM XA15 TO XA45Z. APCHING THE MOA AT 16000 FT MSL WE REQUESTED CLRNC INTO PECOS MOA, BLOCK 500 FT TO FL230. ZAB CLRED US IN TO THE MOA RESTR TO REMAIN BELOW 16000 FT MSL DUE TO CIVILIAN TFC TRANSITING THE MOA. ALSO, WE WERE ADVISED THAT ANOTHER F-111 WAS IN THE AIRSPACE. WE WERE CLRED TO THE PECOS TACTICAL FREQ AND MADE A CALL TO THE OTHER F-111 IN THE PECOS. HE WAS ESTABLISHED IN PECOS E AND W WHICH WE HAD TO TRANSITION THROUGH TO GET TO OUR BOOKED AREA IN THE S. WE COORDINATED WITH HIM TO TRANSITION THROUGH IN A BLOCK OF 14000 FT TO 16000 FT MSL. I HAD THE ATTACK RADAR SET IN AN AIR SEARCH MODE OF 30 NM SCOPE AT 1 DEG ABOVE HORIZON LOOKING FOR THE OTHER TFC. MY STUDENT AND I WERE DISCUSSING THE ALT RESTRICTION OF 16000 FT AND HOW WE COULD NOT ACCOMPLISH SEVERAL PLANNED TRAINING EVENTS SINCE WE WERE NOT CLRED TO A HIGH ENOUGH ALT TO ALLOW FOR THE REQUIRED SAFETY MARGIN. AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE ROLLING 20 DEGS OF BANK L AND R TO CLR OUT FOR THE TFC BELOW AND I WAS POINTING OUT THE GND REFS IN THE MOA FOR MY STUDENT'S BENEFIT. AT XB18Z ZAB DIRECTED US TO DSND IMMEDIATELY BELOW 16000 FT MSL. THERE WAS CIVILIAN TFC IN CLOSE PROX. I LOOKED IN AT THE ALTIMETER WHICH READ 16500 FT MSL AS MY STUDENT INITIATED A ROLL TO THE INVERTED THEN A 3 G PULL DOWN TO BELOW 16000 FT MSL. ZAB HAD NOT PROVIDED A TFC CALL FOR THE CIVILIAN ACFT IN MY PROX. SEVERAL MINS LATER, ZAB TOLD US HE MAY FILE A VIOLATION N US FOR EXCEEDING 16000 FT WITH TFC INSIDE OF 5 MI. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY ACFT AND THE INADVERTENT CLB 500 FT ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT. THE WHOLE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED IF ZAB HAD PROVIDED A TFC XING CALL FOR THE CIVILIAN ACFT TRANSITING THE MOA. ALSO, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT CTR RESTR MY ASSIGNED MISSION FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF A PVT ACFT TO TRANSITION THE NOTAM'ED HOT MIL AIRSPACE. I'VE BEEN AN AIR FORCE INSTRUCTOR FOR A LONG TIME WITH MANY AN HR IN MOA'S WITH STUDENTS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED AN IFR CIVILIAN ALLOWED IN THE SAME AIRSPACE. MIL FLT TRAINING COUNTS ON THESE MOA'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY AIRSPACE WHICH ALLOWS STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MANEUVER THEIR ACFT'S TO GAIN CONFIDENCE IN THEIR PLATFORM. I SPENT MORE TIME CLRING OUR FLT PATH FOR TFC THAN I DID ON MONITORING OUR ALT CTL AND INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED MY STUDENT TO EXCEED ASSIGNED ALT. WE WERE DOING OUR BEST AT THE TIME TO BE PROFESSIONAL AIR CREWMEN AND FLY THE PROPER PROCS.

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.