Narrative:

While flying VFR from tri-city airport, tn, we were flying northeast tracking between glade spring VOR and blf VOR. West were staying in the valley because the mountain tops were obscured. As we approached the city of blf we began to encounter icing. A quick look at the map showed an airport 5 mi to our north. Our initial look at the map did not indicate an operating tower or a control zone. Because at this time we were anxious to get the aircraft on the ground, I did attempt to call the flight station on 122.65 when we were 5 mi south of the airport, but got no response. I tried again when approaching the runway and still no response. I then switched to 123.60 and finally got a response, at which time the station chief asked me to come to the station. Contributing to this incident was the WX and the way the sectional is printed. If the map wasn't so 'busy' with information in this area, then it is possible that the incident would not have happened. This is also true if the FSS would have answered my first call when we were outside the control zone. To prevent this from happening again, I will ensure that I receive remedial training in reading the sectionals and the symbols therein.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER HELICOPTER PENETRATION OF CONTROL ZONE.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING VFR FROM TRI-CITY ARPT, TN, WE WERE FLYING NE TRACKING BTWN GLADE SPRING VOR AND BLF VOR. W WERE STAYING IN THE VALLEY BECAUSE THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE OBSCURED. AS WE APCHED THE CITY OF BLF WE BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER ICING. A QUICK LOOK AT THE MAP SHOWED AN ARPT 5 MI TO OUR N. OUR INITIAL LOOK AT THE MAP DID NOT INDICATE AN OPERATING TWR OR A CTL ZONE. BECAUSE AT THIS TIME WE WERE ANXIOUS TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND, I DID ATTEMPT TO CALL THE FLT STATION ON 122.65 WHEN WE WERE 5 MI S OF THE ARPT, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. I TRIED AGAIN WHEN APCHING THE RWY AND STILL NO RESPONSE. I THEN SWITCHED TO 123.60 AND FINALLY GOT A RESPONSE, AT WHICH TIME THE STATION CHIEF ASKED ME TO COME TO THE STATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WAS THE WX AND THE WAY THE SECTIONAL IS PRINTED. IF THE MAP WASN'T SO 'BUSY' WITH INFO IN THIS AREA, THEN IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THIS IS ALSO TRUE IF THE FSS WOULD HAVE ANSWERED MY FIRST CALL WHEN WE WERE OUTSIDE THE CTL ZONE. TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I WILL ENSURE THAT I RECEIVE REMEDIAL TRNING IN READING THE SECTIONALS AND THE SYMBOLS THEREIN.

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.