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Rotary winged traffic on EMS call criticized by TRACON approach controller when small transport pilot leaves assigned altitude when he believes he is outside of TCA. Cites frequency congestion as reason for lack of coordination with approach controller.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 169552 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199101 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6300 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 169552 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I took off from hospital a at xx:20 on a EMS flight to meet an ambulance on highway west of ZZZ. I asked ATC for approval to cross over xyz at 6500' westbound. I was cleared into the TCA as requested. West of ZZZ approach cleared me for 7000'. There were no other aircraft talking to approach in my area. About 15 mins west of ZZZ I received a medical call to divert from original destination to a location just a few mi from present location. Approach was very busy and I couldn't break in and started a slow left turn toward new medical call. My judgement showed me outside of the TCA so I started to descend for landing on highway. Approach then called me and said I violated altitude, by descending to 6300'. I feel that I was outside of the TCA. No radio contact was made earlier because of radio chatter. No other aircraft had called saying they were in my area and because of EMS priority I don't feel I violated TCA airspace.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ROTARY WINGED TRAFFIC ON EMS CALL CRITICIZED BY TRACON APCH CTLR WHEN SMT PLT LEAVES ASSIGNED ALT WHEN HE BELIEVES HE IS OUTSIDE OF TCA. CITES FREQ CONGESTION AS REASON FOR LACK OF COORD WITH APCH CTLR.
Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM HOSPITAL A AT XX:20 ON A EMS FLT TO MEET AN AMBULANCE ON HWY W OF ZZZ. I ASKED ATC FOR APPROVAL TO CROSS OVER XYZ AT 6500' WBND. I WAS CLRED INTO THE TCA AS REQUESTED. W OF ZZZ APCH CLRED ME FOR 7000'. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT TALKING TO APCH IN MY AREA. ABOUT 15 MINS W OF ZZZ I RECEIVED A MEDICAL CALL TO DIVERT FROM ORIGINAL DEST TO A LOCATION JUST A FEW MI FROM PRESENT LOCATION. APCH WAS VERY BUSY AND I COULDN'T BREAK IN AND STARTED A SLOW L TURN TOWARD NEW MEDICAL CALL. MY JUDGEMENT SHOWED ME OUTSIDE OF THE TCA SO I STARTED TO DSND FOR LNDG ON HWY. APCH THEN CALLED ME AND SAID I VIOLATED ALT, BY DSNDING TO 6300'. I FEEL THAT I WAS OUTSIDE OF THE TCA. NO RADIO CONTACT WAS MADE EARLIER BECAUSE OF RADIO CHATTER. NO OTHER ACFT HAD CALLED SAYING THEY WERE IN MY AREA AND BECAUSE OF EMS PRIORITY I DON'T FEEL I VIOLATED TCA AIRSPACE.
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.