EMS helicopter accused of not flying in the direction indicated in initial call to approach controll...

Attributes
ACN	173473
Time
Date	199103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 9326 flight time type : 96
ASRS Report	173473
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

When taking off from hospital helipad on an EMS flight to pick up a patient in xyz, I called departure and advised I was off the hospital, nwbnd, climbing to 4500'. Departure had me identify, then proceeded to chew me out on the radio saying that this was the second time I had done this today. He said I called off the hospital westbound, and then flew northwest. I said I called off nwbnd. He said I did not, and was causing traffic conflicts at the airport. (The earlier flight in the day I did call off westbound, and I flew 276 degrees LORAN direct to abc.) the next day I met with the air traffic manager for the airport and listened to the tape of the flight, and it confirmed that I did call nwbnd on my departure. We also reviewed all the procedures for our helicopter when operating around the airport. It appears the problem was just miscom between pilot and controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELICOPTER ACCUSED OF NOT FLYING IN THE DIRECTION INDICATED IN INITIAL CALL TO APCH CTLR.

Narrative: WHEN TAKING OFF FROM HOSPITAL HELIPAD ON AN EMS FLT TO PICK UP A PATIENT IN XYZ, I CALLED DEP AND ADVISED I WAS OFF THE HOSPITAL, NWBND, CLBING TO 4500'. DEP HAD ME IDENT, THEN PROCEEDED TO CHEW ME OUT ON THE RADIO SAYING THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I HAD DONE THIS TODAY. HE SAID I CALLED OFF THE HOSPITAL WBND, AND THEN FLEW NW. I SAID I CALLED OFF NWBND. HE SAID I DID NOT, AND WAS CAUSING TFC CONFLICTS AT THE ARPT. (THE EARLIER FLT IN THE DAY I DID CALL OFF WBND, AND I FLEW 276 DEGS LORAN DIRECT TO ABC.) THE NEXT DAY I MET WITH THE AIR TFC MGR FOR THE ARPT AND LISTENED TO THE TAPE OF THE FLT, AND IT CONFIRMED THAT I DID CALL NWBND ON MY DEP. WE ALSO REVIEWED ALL THE PROCS FOR OUR HELI WHEN OPERATING AROUND THE ARPT. IT APPEARS THE PROB WAS JUST MISCOM BTWN PLT AND CTLR.

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.

EMS helicopter accused of not flying in the direction indicated in initial call to approach controller.