Narrative:

On dec/xa/98 I was the flight lead for a section of hornets (aircraft X). We were performing a close air support mission in support of a mission in the R2501. We took off at XA15 and landed at XD15. We reported in with R2501 range control. After checking in, we worked in the western part of the R2501. We were then instructed to 'hold century FL200.' we proceeded into holding. 'Century' is the most southeastern control point in the R2501. We planned to hold from century outbound northwest, and in l-hand turns. We initially arrived at century and commenced a l-hand turn to proceed outbound, our indicated airspeed was 250 KTS. We proceeded northwest for approximately 8-10 NM and made a l-hand turn inbound to parallel our outbound course. We proceeded southeast to a point at which I judged we could initiate a left turn to pass over century, and remain within the confines of the R2501. I could not perform a maximum turn due to the slow airspeed and confign. As airspeed increased I also increased the angle of bank to minimize the distance and time I would be out of the confines of the R2501. I estimate that I was outside the boundaries of the area by 1 1/2 - 2 NM. My wingman was above and behind me throughout this turn. I checked the winds at my flight lvl following this, and they were 330 degrees at 130 KTS. I noted during subsequent holding that our ground speed headed southeast was approximately 470 KTS, and our ground speed headed northwest was approximately 220 KTS. I adjusted my holding pattern appropriately to remain in the area. A few mins later we were instructed to proceed to the airborne tanker. We proceeded north and descended to transit from the R2501 to the turtle MOA. After receiving our fuel offload from the tanker aircraft, the flight leader informed me that ZLA had asked him for our section's call sign. I was told to call ZLA upon landing. I was informed by the sector supervisor that our flight had spilled out of the R2501 and come within 4 NM of a civilian commuter airplane (aircraft Y) that was descending into palm springs. I was told that the civilian aircraft had sight of our 2 military jets the entire time. The use of 'century' should be avoided on days with fast winds aloft. A call from ZLA on guard would also get the pilots' attention in any future instances.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE ON TRAINING MISSION IN R2501, F18 FLC EXIT RESTR AIRSPACE AND CAME INTO CONFLICT WITH ACR COMMUTER ON APCH TO PSP.

Narrative: ON DEC/XA/98 I WAS THE FLT LEAD FOR A SECTION OF HORNETS (ACFT X). WE WERE PERFORMING A CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION IN SUPPORT OF A MISSION IN THE R2501. WE TOOK OFF AT XA15 AND LANDED AT XD15. WE RPTED IN WITH R2501 RANGE CTL. AFTER CHKING IN, WE WORKED IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE R2501. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO 'HOLD CENTURY FL200.' WE PROCEEDED INTO HOLDING. 'CENTURY' IS THE MOST SOUTHEASTERN CTL POINT IN THE R2501. WE PLANNED TO HOLD FROM CENTURY OUTBOUND NW, AND IN L-HAND TURNS. WE INITIALLY ARRIVED AT CENTURY AND COMMENCED A L-HAND TURN TO PROCEED OUTBOUND, OUR INDICATED AIRSPD WAS 250 KTS. WE PROCEEDED NW FOR APPROX 8-10 NM AND MADE A L-HAND TURN INBOUND TO PARALLEL OUR OUTBOUND COURSE. WE PROCEEDED SE TO A POINT AT WHICH I JUDGED WE COULD INITIATE A L TURN TO PASS OVER CENTURY, AND REMAIN WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE R2501. I COULD NOT PERFORM A MAX TURN DUE TO THE SLOW AIRSPD AND CONFIGN. AS AIRSPD INCREASED I ALSO INCREASED THE ANGLE OF BANK TO MINIMIZE THE DISTANCE AND TIME I WOULD BE OUT OF THE CONFINES OF THE R2501. I ESTIMATE THAT I WAS OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE AREA BY 1 1/2 - 2 NM. MY WINGMAN WAS ABOVE AND BEHIND ME THROUGHOUT THIS TURN. I CHKED THE WINDS AT MY FLT LVL FOLLOWING THIS, AND THEY WERE 330 DEGS AT 130 KTS. I NOTED DURING SUBSEQUENT HOLDING THAT OUR GND SPD HEADED SE WAS APPROX 470 KTS, AND OUR GND SPD HEADED NW WAS APPROX 220 KTS. I ADJUSTED MY HOLDING PATTERN APPROPRIATELY TO REMAIN IN THE AREA. A FEW MINS LATER WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED TO THE AIRBORNE TANKER. WE PROCEEDED N AND DSNDED TO TRANSIT FROM THE R2501 TO THE TURTLE MOA. AFTER RECEIVING OUR FUEL OFFLOAD FROM THE TANKER ACFT, THE FLT LEADER INFORMED ME THAT ZLA HAD ASKED HIM FOR OUR SECTION'S CALL SIGN. I WAS TOLD TO CALL ZLA UPON LNDG. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SECTOR SUPVR THAT OUR FLT HAD SPILLED OUT OF THE R2501 AND COME WITHIN 4 NM OF A CIVILIAN COMMUTER AIRPLANE (ACFT Y) THAT WAS DSNDING INTO PALM SPRINGS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CIVILIAN ACFT HAD SIGHT OF OUR 2 MIL JETS THE ENTIRE TIME. THE USE OF 'CENTURY' SHOULD BE AVOIDED ON DAYS WITH FAST WINDS ALOFT. A CALL FROM ZLA ON GUARD WOULD ALSO GET THE PLTS' ATTN IN ANY FUTURE INSTANCES.

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.