Narrative:

Aircraft on an IFR stereo route to R2508 at FL210. Pilot was familiar with area and procedures. Prior to entering area, joshua issued standard instructions 'once established in the area, cleared to operate surface to FL290.' aircraft was still out of area, cleared direct 'rands' (nid 190/20). However, intermittent TACAN reception and compass card malfunction caused pilot to rely on visual landmarks as primary orientation. Aircraft east. Once pilot determined aircraft was within area clearance, began maneuvering and descending. Immediately acquired visually a twin turboprop proceeding south in front of and below aircraft. (In beam) obtained radar lock, maintained separation visually and continued to maneuver. Approach asked intentions, pilot stated that he held himself in the area visually and was proceeding VFR. Visual was never in doubt, estimated at 500-1000 ft and 2-3 NM (radar). Following flight, debrief with area controller stated that aircraft was still outside of area, thus maneuvering out of altitude without proper IFR clearance. Proximity of aircraft with twin turboprop tripped lax's automatic collision avoidance alert. Controller reported that mandatory pilot deviation report required. Obvious contributing factors were: degraded navigation, mis-perceived geographical location, and unnecessary maneuvering prior to positive establishment in R2508. The fact that the IFR traffic was not called was not a factor in this case, since the aircraft maintaining safe visual and radar separation at all times. This would have been avoided completely with any of the following: 1) patience -- especially with degraded navigation, maintain altitude and course until well inside area. 2) call of intentions -- call of canceling IFR prior to maneuvering would have provided traffic call, or warning of position with regard to boundary, and complied with strict IFR procedures. 3) call of degraded navigation -- operating IFR, mandatory. Pilot's perceived familiarity with area geographical references was obviously inadequate. Summary: pilot made errors of judgement and procedure, but never endangered commuter plane. Lessons well learned and thoroughly briefed to other company pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN F14 PLT HAS A CONFLICT WITH AN ACR WHEN HE STARTS AN AIR COMBAT MANEUVER BEFORE HE WAS ACTUALLY IN R2508.

Narrative: ACFT ON AN IFR STEREO RTE TO R2508 AT FL210. PLT WAS FAMILIAR WITH AREA AND PROCS. PRIOR TO ENTERING AREA, JOSHUA ISSUED STANDARD INSTRUCTIONS 'ONCE ESTABLISHED IN THE AREA, CLRED TO OPERATE SURFACE TO FL290.' ACFT WAS STILL OUT OF AREA, CLRED DIRECT 'RANDS' (NID 190/20). HOWEVER, INTERMITTENT TACAN RECEPTION AND COMPASS CARD MALFUNCTION CAUSED PLT TO RELY ON VISUAL LANDMARKS AS PRIMARY ORIENTATION. ACFT E. ONCE PLT DETERMINED ACFT WAS WITHIN AREA CLRNC, BEGAN MANEUVERING AND DSNDING. IMMEDIATELY ACQUIRED VISUALLY A TWIN TURBOPROP PROCEEDING S IN FRONT OF AND BELOW ACFT. (IN BEAM) OBTAINED RADAR LOCK, MAINTAINED SEPARATION VISUALLY AND CONTINUED TO MANEUVER. APCH ASKED INTENTIONS, PLT STATED THAT HE HELD HIMSELF IN THE AREA VISUALLY AND WAS PROCEEDING VFR. VISUAL WAS NEVER IN DOUBT, ESTIMATED AT 500-1000 FT AND 2-3 NM (RADAR). FOLLOWING FLT, DEBRIEF WITH AREA CTLR STATED THAT ACFT WAS STILL OUTSIDE OF AREA, THUS MANEUVERING OUT OF ALT WITHOUT PROPER IFR CLRNC. PROX OF ACFT WITH TWIN TURBOPROP TRIPPED LAX'S AUTOMATIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE ALERT. CTLR RPTED THAT MANDATORY PLTDEV RPT REQUIRED. OBVIOUS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: DEGRADED NAV, MIS-PERCEIVED GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION, AND UNNECESSARY MANEUVERING PRIOR TO POSITIVE ESTABLISHMENT IN R2508. THE FACT THAT THE IFR TFC WAS NOT CALLED WAS NOT A FACTOR IN THIS CASE, SINCE THE ACFT MAINTAINING SAFE VISUAL AND RADAR SEPARATION AT ALL TIMES. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED COMPLETELY WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) PATIENCE -- ESPECIALLY WITH DEGRADED NAV, MAINTAIN ALT AND COURSE UNTIL WELL INSIDE AREA. 2) CALL OF INTENTIONS -- CALL OF CANCELING IFR PRIOR TO MANEUVERING WOULD HAVE PROVIDED TFC CALL, OR WARNING OF POS WITH REGARD TO BOUNDARY, AND COMPLIED WITH STRICT IFR PROCS. 3) CALL OF DEGRADED NAV -- OPERATING IFR, MANDATORY. PLT'S PERCEIVED FAMILIARITY WITH AREA GEOGRAPHICAL REFS WAS OBVIOUSLY INADEQUATE. SUMMARY: PLT MADE ERRORS OF JUDGEMENT AND PROC, BUT NEVER ENDANGERED COMMUTER PLANE. LESSONS WELL LEARNED AND THOROUGHLY BRIEFED TO OTHER COMPANY PLTS.

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.