EMS flight told that approach too busy to give radar advisories within arsa.

Attributes
ACN	184228
Time
Date	199107
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
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 : 43 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	184228
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Contact was made with ZZZ approach 30 mi southwest of airport. Due to time of day, (busiest for ZZZ), and thunderstorm around ZZZ and south, approach asked for destination and altitude. I reported an EMS flight inbound to a hospital 3 mi northwest of airport. Approach stated he was far too busy to give radar advisories. I said ok after repeated attempts to contact approach as I neared the 5 mi circle, I heard approach tell another aircraft heading in my general direction to look for traffic (me) who he said he wasn't talking to. During this time, it was hard to get a word in at all. At 3 mi out, I finally made contact with approach who acted totally surprised. (I believe he forgot about me). Flight ended uneventfully at hospital. I believe now I should have stopped at least 5 mi out and waited for an opportunity to confirm my flight through the arsa to the hospital. Having a critical patient on board probably clouded/affected my decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS FLT TOLD THAT APCH TOO BUSY TO GIVE RADAR ADVISORIES WITHIN ARSA.

Narrative: CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ZZZ APCH 30 MI SW OF ARPT. DUE TO TIME OF DAY, (BUSIEST FOR ZZZ), AND TSTM AROUND ZZZ AND S, APCH ASKED FOR DEST AND ALT. I RPTED AN EMS FLT INBOUND TO A HOSPITAL 3 MI NW OF ARPT. APCH STATED HE WAS FAR TOO BUSY TO GIVE RADAR ADVISORIES. I SAID OK AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT APCH AS I NEARED THE 5 MI CIRCLE, I HEARD APCH TELL ANOTHER ACFT HDG IN MY GENERAL DIRECTION TO LOOK FOR TFC (ME) WHO HE SAID HE WASN'T TALKING TO. DURING THIS TIME, IT WAS HARD TO GET A WORD IN AT ALL. AT 3 MI OUT, I FINALLY MADE CONTACT WITH APCH WHO ACTED TOTALLY SURPRISED. (I BELIEVE HE FORGOT ABOUT ME). FLT ENDED UNEVENTFULLY AT HOSPITAL. I BELIEVE NOW I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AT LEAST 5 MI OUT AND WAITED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONFIRM MY FLT THROUGH THE ARSA TO THE HOSPITAL. HAVING A CRITICAL PATIENT ON BOARD PROBABLY CLOUDED/AFFECTED MY DECISION.

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.