Fighter
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5.5
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Human Factors; Procedure
I was working the BUCKEYE MOA/ATCAA (Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace) and the CHARLIE ATCAA A/B when one of the military aircraft; I'm not sure to which flight it belonged; had a Whiskey Alert that I called on them after busting the altitude ceiling in the CHARLIE ATCAA. The ceiling was FL280 and the aircraft was up to FL298 before I could call the alert. At that point; the aircraft turned off MODE C so I couldn't see their altitude. These pilots are supposed to be aware of the airspace and the LOA governing the military airspace. Upon clearing both flights into the MOA; they each read back the altitude assignments correctly; I even verified the second one; as it had been stepped on in the read back. I warned that we might send them home; verified that they were now in the confines of the airspace; and made the aircraft turn the MODE C back on so I would know the altitude in the future. We had a civilian aircraft at FL340 overflight right above the offending aircraft.I recommend that the military pilots using this airspace get a better understanding of the importance of following the LOA; and of remaining within the designated airspace. We often don't let them have the CHARLIE ATCAA unless a tanker is in there for just this reason. CHARLIE ATCAA is supposed to be a refueling shelf; not a dogfighting extension of the already-large BUCKEYE MOA.
ZID Controller reports of a airspace violation above a warning area by a military aircraft.