Flight of 4 F16's enter MOA and come out as 2 flts of 2.

Attributes
ACN	422120
Time
Date	199812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lbb
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22500 msl bound upper : 22500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	422120
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Sting 3 (originally a flight of 4 F16's) requested to exit the area (bronco 3 and 4 MOA's) via direct cvs at 14000 ft. Sting 3 was cleared direct cvs, maintain 14000 ft. Approximately 1 min after this, sting 5 flight called at FL270 requesting to return to base via lbb txo. At that point, sting 5 was advised to maintain VFR. I issued a beacon code and again advised sting 5 to maintain VFR. Sting 3 entered the bronco 3 and 4 area as a flight of 4, never letting anyone know of their intentions to return to cvs as 2 flts of 2. The LOA states that flts requesting separate recoveries shall have a flight plan on file. This was not done. I had cleared, what I believed to be a flight of 4 F16's, sting 3 direct cvs at 14000 ft. I had coordinated this routing and altitude because it was contrary to normal recovery rtes and altitudes. After advising affected sectors and approach controls that the bronco areas 3 and 4 were clear, sting 5 called at FL270, requesting to return to base via direct lbb direct txo. I advised the supervisor of these events. He in turn called the cvs supervisor of flying. The sof was aware of our concern, would talk to the pilots. He seemed to convey that cvs is aware of the LOA but does basically what they want to. There seems to be a disregard for the LOA. This has been going on since the creation of this LOA was created for the bronco MOA's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT OF 4 F16'S ENTER MOA AND COME OUT AS 2 FLTS OF 2.

Narrative: STING 3 (ORIGINALLY A FLT OF 4 F16'S) REQUESTED TO EXIT THE AREA (BRONCO 3 AND 4 MOA'S) VIA DIRECT CVS AT 14000 FT. STING 3 WAS CLRED DIRECT CVS, MAINTAIN 14000 FT. APPROX 1 MIN AFTER THIS, STING 5 FLT CALLED AT FL270 REQUESTING TO RETURN TO BASE VIA LBB TXO. AT THAT POINT, STING 5 WAS ADVISED TO MAINTAIN VFR. I ISSUED A BEACON CODE AND AGAIN ADVISED STING 5 TO MAINTAIN VFR. STING 3 ENTERED THE BRONCO 3 AND 4 AREA AS A FLT OF 4, NEVER LETTING ANYONE KNOW OF THEIR INTENTIONS TO RETURN TO CVS AS 2 FLTS OF 2. THE LOA STATES THAT FLTS REQUESTING SEPARATE RECOVERIES SHALL HAVE A FLT PLAN ON FILE. THIS WAS NOT DONE. I HAD CLRED, WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A FLT OF 4 F16'S, STING 3 DIRECT CVS AT 14000 FT. I HAD COORDINATED THIS ROUTING AND ALT BECAUSE IT WAS CONTRARY TO NORMAL RECOVERY RTES AND ALTS. AFTER ADVISING AFFECTED SECTORS AND APCH CTLS THAT THE BRONCO AREAS 3 AND 4 WERE CLR, STING 5 CALLED AT FL270, REQUESTING TO RETURN TO BASE VIA DIRECT LBB DIRECT TXO. I ADVISED THE SUPVR OF THESE EVENTS. HE IN TURN CALLED THE CVS SUPVR OF FLYING. THE SOF WAS AWARE OF OUR CONCERN, WOULD TALK TO THE PLTS. HE SEEMED TO CONVEY THAT CVS IS AWARE OF THE LOA BUT DOES BASICALLY WHAT THEY WANT TO. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DISREGARD FOR THE LOA. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE CREATION OF THIS LOA WAS CREATED FOR THE BRONCO MOA'S.

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.