Narrative:

After takeoff from airport and transition to cruise flight the #1 engine chips light (caution light) illuminated. I attempted to zap several times without result and then turned back toward airport asking only for a min power approach back to pad and the use of the taxiway for a run on landing. When asked if assistance was needed or an emergency was in progress I stated that no other assistance was needed and that there was no emergency. I merely wanted to reduce power and land with a roll on as recommended by the operators manual. (Or as interpreted by myself! See attached page/excerpt from flight manual). After turning inbound and landing was assured, I initiated a min pwred approach to the taxiway at the pad area and taxied to our maintenance facility to have the engine chip plugs inspected for chips. 1 small chip was found, cleaned off, and the plugs reinstalled with no further occurrences of the caution light illuminating. Aircraft was returned to service. There was no engine/power failure and the engine remained running until after landing -- at which time I shut it down to prevent damage if it truly was developing metal. Upon reflection, I believe that my wordage should not have included an explanation of the type of approach, as it confused the tower operator and caused the misconception of a serious problem, when in fact it was a fairly routine procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMS HELI PLT HAD A CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT COME ON RIGHT AFTER TKOF. HE RETURNED AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM ARPT AND TRANSITION TO CRUISE FLT THE #1 ENG CHIPS LIGHT (CAUTION LIGHT) ILLUMINATED. I ATTEMPTED TO ZAP SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT RESULT AND THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD ARPT ASKING ONLY FOR A MIN PWR APCH BACK TO PAD AND THE USE OF THE TAXIWAY FOR A RUN ON LNDG. WHEN ASKED IF ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED OR AN EMER WAS IN PROGRESS I STATED THAT NO OTHER ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED AND THAT THERE WAS NO EMER. I MERELY WANTED TO REDUCE PWR AND LAND WITH A ROLL ON AS RECOMMENDED BY THE OPERATORS MANUAL. (OR AS INTERPRETED BY MYSELF! SEE ATTACHED PAGE/EXCERPT FROM FLT MANUAL). AFTER TURNING INBOUND AND LNDG WAS ASSURED, I INITIATED A MIN PWRED APCH TO THE TAXIWAY AT THE PAD AREA AND TAXIED TO OUR MAINT FACILITY TO HAVE THE ENG CHIP PLUGS INSPECTED FOR CHIPS. 1 SMALL CHIP WAS FOUND, CLEANED OFF, AND THE PLUGS REINSTALLED WITH NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES OF THE CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATING. ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. THERE WAS NO ENG/PWR FAILURE AND THE ENG REMAINED RUNNING UNTIL AFTER LNDG -- AT WHICH TIME I SHUT IT DOWN TO PREVENT DAMAGE IF IT TRULY WAS DEVELOPING METAL. UPON REFLECTION, I BELIEVE THAT MY WORDAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE INCLUDED AN EXPLANATION OF THE TYPE OF APCH, AS IT CONFUSED THE TWR OPERATOR AND CAUSED THE MISCONCEPTION OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A FAIRLY ROUTINE PROC.

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.