MIL FLT RETURNING TO BASE ON IFR FLT PLAN PENETRATED TCA.

Narrative

WHILE ENTERING SAN DIEGO AIRSPACE FROM WORKING VFR IN THE WARNING AREA (W-291) FIRST CONTACT AFTER HANDOFF FROM 'BEAVER CTL' (CTLING AGENCY FOR W-291) RECEIVED SQUAWK AND 'CLIMB TO 1 - SIX THOUSAND FROM APP. I WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT AND STUDENT ANSWERED; 'ROGER; MTR TO ONE - SIX THOUSAND.' AT THIS TIME I WAS LOOKING AT APCH PLATE AND RECOVERY PROCEDURES AND SAW ALT WAS 16000'. STUDENT HAD ALREADY STARTED GRADUAL DESCENT AND I ASKED HIM TO CONFIRM ALT. HE SAID 1600'. I ASKED IF HE WAS SURE; HE SAID YES; AND THEN I TOLD HIM TO CONFIRM WITH APCH. WE WAITED UNTIL THE FREQ WAS CLEAR AND THEN CALLED APCH. AS WE WERE TALKING; THEY IMMEDIATELY SAID; MTR; YOU ARE IN THE TCA; CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 1600O'; R TURN TO 275 DEG. WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. WHEN WE LANDED AT MIRAMAR; WE WERE TOLD TO CALL APCH. THE PROBLEM HERE WAS A STUDENT WHO MIXED UP 16000' WITH 1600'. IT WAS COUPLED WITH AN INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS NOT TOTALLY LISTENING TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AS HE WAS REVIEWING THE APCH PLATES. IT WAS NOT DELIBERATE. THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE IFF NOT BEING IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP BY APCH FOR WHATEVER REASON. WEATHER WAS PERFECT.