Narrative:

I launched from ntd (point mugu) as part of a 3-SHIP military adversary support mission. The flight was call sign lead. We were in standard formation and I was #2 on the right side of the leader. Shortly after we leveled off at FL210; ATC called out traffic to our flight. The flight lead acknowledged that he saw the airline B737. Shortly thereafter; ATC made several attempts to contact lead. These went unanswered and I attempted to contact lead on an alternate radio. I received no response from lead and assumed that he was NORDO. While attempting to rejoin in close formation with lead; I made several more calls to lead on the alternate radio and attempted to respond to ATC's calls. ATC stated that it appeared as though lead aircraft (who was squawking for the flight) had deviated from our assigned altitude of FL210. My aircraft had been level at FL210 throughout and from my vantage point; it appeared as though lead was also at FL210. I joined in close formation with lead and assumed the lead via hand signals. I confirmed that we were in fact level at FL210. After landing; lead told me that he had suffered an electrical failure and lost his radios. I'm not sure if ATC understood the gravity of the situation when I transmitted to them that one of our aircraft was having problems. I was not as clear as I could have been in my communications to them because I was busy trying to sort out lead's problems via hand signals. It would have probably helped for me to declare an emergency on behalf of lead because he couldn't communicate. I will be quicker to do this in the future. Supplemental information from acn 716844: I departed from ntd as a wingman (#3). Flight call sign was lead #3 in a flight of 3. The flight leveled at FL210 under ZLA. The formation was standard. During the flight; I noticed that lead was not responding to ATC communications. #2 attempted to answer ATC calls while closing on the lead aircraft. Once joined; #2 assumed the lead as we proceeded on course. ATC informed the new lead that we had lost separation with an airline B737. He also reported that his equipment indicated an altitude 800 ft below assigned. I did not see an altitude deviation in my aircraft. From my position; I saw no apparent deviation on the part of the lead aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT LEAD IN A FLT OF THREE MIL JETS HAS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSES ERRONEOUS ALT READOUTS.

Narrative: I LAUNCHED FROM NTD (POINT MUGU) AS PART OF A 3-SHIP MIL ADVERSARY SUPPORT MISSION. THE FLT WAS CALL SIGN LEAD. WE WERE IN STANDARD FORMATION AND I WAS #2 ON THE R SIDE OF THE LEADER. SHORTLY AFTER WE LEVELED OFF AT FL210; ATC CALLED OUT TFC TO OUR FLT. THE FLT LEAD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE SAW THE AIRLINE B737. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; ATC MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT LEAD. THESE WENT UNANSWERED AND I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT LEAD ON AN ALTERNATE RADIO. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM LEAD AND ASSUMED THAT HE WAS NORDO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REJOIN IN CLOSE FORMATION WITH LEAD; I MADE SEVERAL MORE CALLS TO LEAD ON THE ALTERNATE RADIO AND ATTEMPTED TO RESPOND TO ATC'S CALLS. ATC STATED THAT IT APPEARED AS THOUGH LEAD ACFT (WHO WAS SQUAWKING FOR THE FLT) HAD DEVIATED FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF FL210. MY ACFT HAD BEEN LEVEL AT FL210 THROUGHOUT AND FROM MY VANTAGE POINT; IT APPEARED AS THOUGH LEAD WAS ALSO AT FL210. I JOINED IN CLOSE FORMATION WITH LEAD AND ASSUMED THE LEAD VIA HAND SIGNALS. I CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE IN FACT LEVEL AT FL210. AFTER LNDG; LEAD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SUFFERED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND LOST HIS RADIOS. I'M NOT SURE IF ATC UNDERSTOOD THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION WHEN I XMITTED TO THEM THAT ONE OF OUR ACFT WAS HAVING PROBS. I WAS NOT AS CLR AS I COULD HAVE BEEN IN MY COMS TO THEM BECAUSE I WAS BUSY TRYING TO SORT OUT LEAD'S PROBS VIA HAND SIGNALS. IT WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HELPED FOR ME TO DECLARE AN EMER ON BEHALF OF LEAD BECAUSE HE COULDN'T COMMUNICATE. I WILL BE QUICKER TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 716844: I DEPARTED FROM NTD AS A WINGMAN (#3). FLT CALL SIGN WAS LEAD #3 IN A FLT OF 3. THE FLT LEVELED AT FL210 UNDER ZLA. THE FORMATION WAS STANDARD. DURING THE FLT; I NOTICED THAT LEAD WAS NOT RESPONDING TO ATC COMS. #2 ATTEMPTED TO ANSWER ATC CALLS WHILE CLOSING ON THE LEAD ACFT. ONCE JOINED; #2 ASSUMED THE LEAD AS WE PROCEEDED ON COURSE. ATC INFORMED THE NEW LEAD THAT WE HAD LOST SEPARATION WITH AN AIRLINE B737. HE ALSO RPTED THAT HIS EQUIP INDICATED AN ALT 800 FT BELOW ASSIGNED. I DID NOT SEE AN ALTDEV IN MY ACFT. FROM MY POS; I SAW NO APPARENT DEV ON THE PART OF THE LEAD ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.