A MIL INSTRUCTOR PLT RPT OF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT THAT DEP CTLR CORRECTED AFTER A FORMATION FLT OF 2 A10 ACFT HAD EXPERIENCED A HDG TRACK DEV ON DEP FROM TUS; AZ.

Date: 1999-11 · Aircraft: Thunderbolt II (Warthog A-10)

Anomalies: deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

A MIL INSTRUCTOR PLT RPT OF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT THAT DEP CTLR CORRECTED AFTER A FORMATION FLT OF 2 A10 ACFT HAD EXPERIENCED A HDG TRACK DEV ON DEP FROM TUS; AZ.

Narrative

MISSION WAS A 2 SHIP A10 TRANSITION RIDE SCHEDULED TO THE TOMBSTONE MOA. THE UPGRADE PLT WAS LEADING THE SORTIE AND IT WAS HIS SECOND FLT IN THE A10; TOTAL TIME IN TYPE 2.4 HRS. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT WAS IN A CHASE POS DURING INITIAL TKOF/CLBOUT. THE UPGRADE PLT WAS SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THE DEP; HAVING FLOWN IT THE DAY PRIOR DURING HIS FIRST-EVER A10 SORTIE. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH TUS DEP; HE RPTED PASSING 3800 FT AND DEP CTL ASKED HIM TO CHK SQUAWK (HE HAD FAILED TO TURN IT ON). THE IFR DEP CLRNC FOR THE FLT WAS 'RWY HDG; MAINTAIN 13000 FT; EXPECT 17000 FT 10 MINS AFTER DEP; DEP FREQ WAS LCL CHANNEL 4 SQUAWK XXXX. WHILE THE UPGRADE PLT RESET HIS SQUAWK AND IDENTED; THE INSTRUCTOR PLT WAS PROVIDING INFLT INSTRUCTION TO THE UPGRADE ON THE FM (INTERFLT) RADIO AND THIS COM STEPPED ON TUS DEP'S NEXT RADIO CALL TO THE FLT. THE UPGRADE PLT INITIATED A R TURN TO PROCEED TO 'REDDY' -- A FIX ON THE DEP -- AND CONTINUED TO CLB. BECAUSE THE INSTRUCTOR HAD STEPPED ON THE LAST XMISSION FROM DEP; HE WAS UNSURE OF THE VECTOR HDG PROVIDED TO FLT (IF ANY). BEFORE A TURN COULD BE MADE BACK TO RWY HDG; DEP CTL ASKED WHERE THE FLT WAS HEADING AND THAT THEY HAD NOT ISSUED A VECTOR; BUT NOW DIRECTED THE FLT TO TURN R; HDG 090 DEGS AND MAINTAIN ALT FOR CESSNA TFC (IFR) LOCATED NE AT 9500 FT. BOTH UPGRADE PLT AND INSTRUCTOR HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CESSNA AND WERE 3000 FT BELOW AND 2-3 NM LATERALLY AWAY FROM IT AT THE CLOSEST POINT. THE AVOIDANCE VECTOR WAS ONLY ISSUED FOR APPROX 20 SECONDS BEFORE ANOTHER VECTOR TO RESUME THE DEP WAS ISSUED AS THE TFC WAS NOW 'NO FACTOR.' WITHIN 2 MINS FLT WAS NOTIFIED OF A POSSIBLE DEV AND PROVIDED A LANDLINE NUMBER TO CONTACT TUS TRACON AFTER LNDG. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATION: LOW EXPERIENCE OF A10 UPGRADE PLT. UPGRADE PLT MISUNDERSTANDING OF IFR DEP PROCS/REQUIREMENTS. STUDENT TRAINING IN PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THIS SIT. INSTRUCTOR PLT INFLT INSTRUCTION ON FM RADIO STEPPED ON COM FROM TUS DEP CTL. UPGRADE PLT'S FAILURE TO TURN ON HIS XPONDER PRIOR TO TKOF CONTRIBUTED TO INITIAL CONFUSION. DEP DEPICTION IN LOCALLY DISTRIBUTED A10 FLT PUBS (INFLT GUIDE TO LCL AREA OPS); SHOWS A R TURNOUT ON DEP. THIS WAS CONFUSING ACCORDING TO THE UPGRADE PLT AND IS BEING INVESTIGATED THROUGH MIL CHANNELS. AFTER LNDG; UPGRADE PLT WAS PROVIDED WITH ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION TO AVOID A REPEAT PERFORMANCE.

More incidents for this aircraft family →

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.