EMS helicopter penetrates air traffic area without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	235843
Time
Date	199303
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	235843
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was en route to a traffic accident in ZZZ. Normal navigation is with LORAN, but on this particular flight it wasn't functioning. As is normal on these flts to scene calls, we received current location (land zone) information from the EMS ground units. However, there was a short period of time while we were looking for the location with incorrect information, and the aircraft penetrated the south edge of ZZZ's air traffic area. I had the airport in sight but didn't realize I was that close until I noticed the DME. There was never any conflict with other aircraft. The scene was located and the mission was completed. After departing the hospital en route back to home station, I called ZZZ tower and explained what happened. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that this mission was being flow for another company who was too busy to take this flight. Reporter was not as familiar with this area and confusion occurred due to incorrect location information being given about scene. This distracted pilot and inadvertently entered nearby air traffic area. Companies in area often use discrete transponder codes designated to each company by ATC. Therefore, the ATC 'knew' this aircraft was in the vicinity without any prior communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI PENETRATES ATA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ENRTE TO A TFC ACCIDENT IN ZZZ. NORMAL NAV IS WITH LORAN, BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT IT WASN'T FUNCTIONING. AS IS NORMAL ON THESE FLTS TO SCENE CALLS, WE RECEIVED CURRENT LOCATION (LAND ZONE) INFO FROM THE EMS GND UNITS. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHILE WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE LOCATION WITH INCORRECT INFO, AND THE ACFT PENETRATED THE S EDGE OF ZZZ'S ATA. I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT BUT DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS THAT CLOSE UNTIL I NOTICED THE DME. THERE WAS NEVER ANY CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT. THE SCENE WAS LOCATED AND THE MISSION WAS COMPLETED. AFTER DEPARTING THE HOSPITAL ENRTE BACK TO HOME STATION, I CALLED ZZZ TWR AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS MISSION WAS BEING FLOW FOR ANOTHER COMPANY WHO WAS TOO BUSY TO TAKE THIS FLT. RPTR WAS NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA AND CONFUSION OCCURRED DUE TO INCORRECT LOCATION INFO BEING GIVEN ABOUT SCENE. THIS DISTRACTED PLT AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED NEARBY ATA. COMPANIES IN AREA OFTEN USE DISCRETE XPONDER CODES DESIGNATED TO EACH COMPANY BY ATC. THEREFORE, THE ATC 'KNEW' THIS ACFT WAS IN THE VICINITY WITHOUT ANY PRIOR COM.

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.