Narrative:

I was contracted by a local newspaper to fly a photo flight in a helicopter over the allentown, PA, area. 2 days prior, a snow storm covered the area, many roads, businesses and activities were still closed. The WX was very good VFR, winds 6 mph out of the west. In preparation to depart quakertown (ukt) the ramp had to be cleared of snow, helicopter readied and other arrangements made. I neglected to call flight service, however, I was aware that ukt and 1n9 (queen city) were closed due to snow covered runways. The photographer was to be picked up at queen city and then flown north, photographing various areas of snow storm damage. The management at quakertown did not question the flight but instead gave priority to remove the snow off our ramp to expedite the departure. I departed quakertown and arrived at queen city without incident. As the photographer was getting situated in the helicopter, I noticed a man waving his arms and not knowing what he wanted, I pointed to my head phones advising him to call me on unicom. He made unapproving gestures, but finally called. He advised me that the airport was closed. I acknowledged that I was aware of the NOTAM. I departed with the photographer and completed the photo flight, returning to queen city. The photographer deplaned and I returned to quakertown airport. I now understand that both airports were closed to all traffic. My thoughts at that time knowing the nature of the NOTAM was that helicopters do not need a runway. Therefore, the NOTAM did not apply to me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT DEPARTS ARPT NOTAMED CLOSED.

Narrative: I WAS CONTRACTED BY A LCL NEWSPAPER TO FLY A PHOTO FLT IN A HELI OVER THE ALLENTOWN, PA, AREA. 2 DAYS PRIOR, A SNOW STORM COVERED THE AREA, MANY ROADS, BUSINESSES AND ACTIVITIES WERE STILL CLOSED. THE WX WAS VERY GOOD VFR, WINDS 6 MPH OUT OF THE W. IN PREPARATION TO DEPART QUAKERTOWN (UKT) THE RAMP HAD TO BE CLRED OF SNOW, HELI READIED AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS MADE. I NEGLECTED TO CALL FLT SVC, HOWEVER, I WAS AWARE THAT UKT AND 1N9 (QUEEN CITY) WERE CLOSED DUE TO SNOW COVERED RWYS. THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS TO BE PICKED UP AT QUEEN CITY AND THEN FLOWN N, PHOTOGRAPHING VARIOUS AREAS OF SNOW STORM DAMAGE. THE MGMNT AT QUAKERTOWN DID NOT QUESTION THE FLT BUT INSTEAD GAVE PRIORITY TO REMOVE THE SNOW OFF OUR RAMP TO EXPEDITE THE DEP. I DEPARTED QUAKERTOWN AND ARRIVED AT QUEEN CITY WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS GETTING SITUATED IN THE HELI, I NOTICED A MAN WAVING HIS ARMS AND NOT KNOWING WHAT HE WANTED, I POINTED TO MY HEAD PHONES ADVISING HIM TO CALL ME ON UNICOM. HE MADE UNAPPROVING GESTURES, BUT FINALLY CALLED. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT I WAS AWARE OF THE NOTAM. I DEPARTED WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND COMPLETED THE PHOTO FLT, RETURNING TO QUEEN CITY. THE PHOTOGRAPHER DEPLANED AND I RETURNED TO QUAKERTOWN ARPT. I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH ARPTS WERE CLOSED TO ALL TFC. MY THOUGHTS AT THAT TIME KNOWING THE NATURE OF THE NOTAM WAS THAT HELIS DO NOT NEED A RWY. THEREFORE, THE NOTAM DID NOT APPLY TO ME.

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.