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A helicopter small transport pilot was depending on his DME to maintain clearance from a TCA. He may have penetrated the TCA at 1000 ft. This pilot was contacted in a special study on emergency medical services problems. No additional information came from the callback.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 208960 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199204 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : abc airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : tys |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6700 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 208960 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
After disembarking patient and medical crew at hospital helipad, I reviewed the abc TCA chart to determine the best route for departure. Since abc was extremely busy, I elected to circumnav the 7 NM ring of abc's TCA. I picked a geographical landmark outside the TCA as my reference for turning on course. After loading medical crew, I departed helipad and made my turn over the preselected landmark to proceed on course to def. My DME indicated that I was 7.6 NM west of abc at 1000 ft. However the terrain did not match what I had expected to see after completing my review of the TCA chart. So I turned to a heading of 270 degree and pulled out the TCA chart. After careful review, I determined that my actual position was 6.6 NM west of abc. Although there were no NOTAMS published indicating that I could expect the DME to be unreliable in that sector, I should not have relied solely on the DME to circumnav the TCA, I should have been following the TCA chart the entire flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A HELI SMT PLT WAS DEPENDING ON HIS DME TO MAINTAIN CLRNC FROM A TCA. HE MAY HAVE PENETRATED THE TCA AT 1000 FT. THIS PLT WAS CONTACTED IN A SPECIAL STUDY ON EMER MEDICAL SVCS PROBLEMS. NO ADDITIONAL INFO CAME FROM THE CALLBACK.
Narrative: AFTER DISEMBARKING PATIENT AND MEDICAL CREW AT HOSPITAL HELIPAD, I REVIEWED THE ABC TCA CHART TO DETERMINE THE BEST RTE FOR DEP. SINCE ABC WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, I ELECTED TO CIRCUMNAV THE 7 NM RING OF ABC'S TCA. I PICKED A GEOGRAPHICAL LANDMARK OUTSIDE THE TCA AS MY REF FOR TURNING ON COURSE. AFTER LOADING MEDICAL CREW, I DEPARTED HELIPAD AND MADE MY TURN OVER THE PRESELECTED LANDMARK TO PROCEED ON COURSE TO DEF. MY DME INDICATED THAT I WAS 7.6 NM W OF ABC AT 1000 FT. HOWEVER THE TERRAIN DID NOT MATCH WHAT I HAD EXPECTED TO SEE AFTER COMPLETING MY REVIEW OF THE TCA CHART. SO I TURNED TO A HDG OF 270 DEG AND PULLED OUT THE TCA CHART. AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW, I DETERMINED THAT MY ACTUAL POS WAS 6.6 NM W OF ABC. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO NOTAMS PUBLISHED INDICATING THAT I COULD EXPECT THE DME TO BE UNRELIABLE IN THAT SECTOR, I SHOULD NOT HAVE RELIED SOLELY ON THE DME TO CIRCUMNAV THE TCA, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE TCA CHART THE ENTIRE FLT.
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.