Narrative:

45 mins into the research (test) flight, we were required to complete a second refueling (altitude block FL240-260) within the R2508 complex with an eafb operated kc-135. Because of airspace and research requirements, this refueling was flight planned to be completed north of R2502N (within R2508). As soon as the post refueling checklist was completed, a standard 'dipsy' climb and acceleration to altitude was scheduled. Due to ongoing live fire exercises in R2502N (which established the overflt altitude for R2502N as FL420 or above) the normal plan could not be followed. Knowing this constraint since monday, the flight plan was adjusted. Significant coordination (via telephone and facsimile) was accomplished with ZLA, eafb military radar unit (sport) and the local TRACON (joshua), as well as with the R2508 area (R2502N/east, R2524) airspace managers, to enable this mission. As a result of this coordination effort, an alternate plan was established. The climb and acceleration would be accomplished within R2502E aka the 'daggett shelf.' a prerequisite for this approach was that upon commencing the second refueling, we were to request through the sport controller, the coordination of the daggett shelf. As planned, after we completed the rendezvous with the tanker, the fte contacted sport on the 'mission frequency' and requested that sport begin coordination for the daggett shelf. Approximately 5 mins after the initial request, sport contacted us to advise that the daggett shelf had been coordinated. Accordingly, we completed the refueling and the post refueling checklist, and made preparations for the climb and acceleration to altitude. Per our flight/test plan, we proceeded with the 'dipsy' maneuver (a .9 mach climb to FL330, followed by a dive to FL250 (to accelerate through the transonic region), followed by a climb/acceleration to altitude and mach 3.0) in the daggett shelf. What we did not know at the time was that sport had only coordinated the altitude block FL240-260 in the daggett shelf. Hence, we climbed and accelerated unknowingly across the flight path (within 3 mi horizontal) of an L1011 and an A2. Both aircraft were directed by ATC to alter their courses. We were still 'working' the mission discrete, however, and did not receive any calls from sport or joshua during the 'dipsy' maneuver. Nearly 1 1/2 hours later, as we completed the last test point for the day, joshua advised us to contact the supervisor upon landing to discuss a possible pilot deviation. After discussion with the supervisor, we concluded that the crew did not hear/comprehend the altitude restr in the daggett shelf. We attribute that to the cockpit environment at the time the clearance was issued: amidst the 'normal' confusion, noise, and intensity in the cockpit, the crew was focused on the tasks of refueling and preparation for the next series of test points -- the crew not expecting a block altitude restr and simply didn't hear/comprehend the information provided.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV WHEN GOV ACFT CLBS ABOVE BLOCKED ALT RESERVATION AND CONFLICTS WITH AN ACR L1011 AND AN ACR A320. LTSS.

Narrative: 45 MINS INTO THE RESEARCH (TEST) FLT, WE WERE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A SECOND REFUELING (ALT BLOCK FL240-260) WITHIN THE R2508 COMPLEX WITH AN EAFB OPERATED KC-135. BECAUSE OF AIRSPACE AND RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS, THIS REFUELING WAS FLT PLANNED TO BE COMPLETED N OF R2502N (WITHIN R2508). AS SOON AS THE POST REFUELING CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, A STANDARD 'DIPSY' CLB AND ACCELERATION TO ALT WAS SCHEDULED. DUE TO ONGOING LIVE FIRE EXERCISES IN R2502N (WHICH ESTABLISHED THE OVERFLT ALT FOR R2502N AS FL420 OR ABOVE) THE NORMAL PLAN COULD NOT BE FOLLOWED. KNOWING THIS CONSTRAINT SINCE MONDAY, THE FLT PLAN WAS ADJUSTED. SIGNIFICANT COORDINATION (VIA TELEPHONE AND FAX) WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH ZLA, EAFB MIL RADAR UNIT (SPORT) AND THE LCL TRACON (JOSHUA), AS WELL AS WITH THE R2508 AREA (R2502N/E, R2524) AIRSPACE MANAGERS, TO ENABLE THIS MISSION. AS A RESULT OF THIS COORD EFFORT, AN ALTERNATE PLAN WAS ESTABLISHED. THE CLB AND ACCELERATION WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN R2502E AKA THE 'DAGGETT SHELF.' A PREREQUISITE FOR THIS APCH WAS THAT UPON COMMENCING THE SECOND REFUELING, WE WERE TO REQUEST THROUGH THE SPORT CTLR, THE COORD OF THE DAGGETT SHELF. AS PLANNED, AFTER WE COMPLETED THE RENDEZVOUS WITH THE TANKER, THE FTE CONTACTED SPORT ON THE 'MISSION FREQ' AND REQUESTED THAT SPORT BEGIN COORD FOR THE DAGGETT SHELF. APPROX 5 MINS AFTER THE INITIAL REQUEST, SPORT CONTACTED US TO ADVISE THAT THE DAGGETT SHELF HAD BEEN COORDINATED. ACCORDINGLY, WE COMPLETED THE REFUELING AND THE POST REFUELING CHKLIST, AND MADE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CLB AND ACCELERATION TO ALT. PER OUR FLT/TEST PLAN, WE PROCEEDED WITH THE 'DIPSY' MANEUVER (A .9 MACH CLB TO FL330, FOLLOWED BY A DIVE TO FL250 (TO ACCELERATE THROUGH THE TRANSONIC REGION), FOLLOWED BY A CLB/ACCELERATION TO ALT AND MACH 3.0) IN THE DAGGETT SHELF. WHAT WE DID NOT KNOW AT THE TIME WAS THAT SPORT HAD ONLY COORDINATED THE ALT BLOCK FL240-260 IN THE DAGGETT SHELF. HENCE, WE CLBED AND ACCELERATED UNKNOWINGLY ACROSS THE FLT PATH (WITHIN 3 MI HORIZ) OF AN L1011 AND AN A2. BOTH ACFT WERE DIRECTED BY ATC TO ALTER THEIR COURSES. WE WERE STILL 'WORKING' THE MISSION DISCRETE, HOWEVER, AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY CALLS FROM SPORT OR JOSHUA DURING THE 'DIPSY' MANEUVER. NEARLY 1 1/2 HRS LATER, AS WE COMPLETED THE LAST TEST POINT FOR THE DAY, JOSHUA ADVISED US TO CONTACT THE SUPVR UPON LNDG TO DISCUSS A POSSIBLE PLTDEV. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE SUPVR, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE CREW DID NOT HEAR/COMPREHEND THE ALT RESTR IN THE DAGGETT SHELF. WE ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT AT THE TIME THE CLRNC WAS ISSUED: AMIDST THE 'NORMAL' CONFUSION, NOISE, AND INTENSITY IN THE COCKPIT, THE CREW WAS FOCUSED ON THE TASKS OF REFUELING AND PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT SERIES OF TEST POINTS -- THE CREW NOT EXPECTING A BLOCK ALT RESTR AND SIMPLY DIDN'T HEAR/COMPREHEND THE INFO PROVIDED.

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.