Narrative:

I arrived at the hospital to find a flight waiting for me. I quickly preflted the aircraft and departed with the medical crew to pick up a patient. I called ZZZ tower as I was climbing out for a southeast transition through their air traffic area. They advised me to turn eastbound due to paradrops just south of my location. I then remembered the NOTAM I had read the night before: 'xyz paja 063010 1 nmr 5500/blo eff 302200 - 310000.' I had not checked WX and NOTAMS as I normally do when I come on shift. I was notified in the elevator on the way to the helipad a flight was waiting for me, so I went directly to the aircraft, where the off-going pilot was just shutting down after a refuel flight to ZZZ airport. He made no mention of paradrops. The WX was excellent and my destination was only 33 NM away. It is 2 NM from our hospital to the park where the paradrops were taking place. We are 5 NM northwest of ZZZ. I was very close to the 1 mi distance restriction and probably made approach control very nervous as I popped up on radar while taking off as I was told by ZZZ tower that the paradrop aircraft was talking to xyz approach control. I should have checked NOTAMS. I would have allowed much more distance from the drop zone if I had been aware of the activity. I did check ZZZ ATIS prior to departing and on my return trip to the hospital. No mention was made of paradrop activity either time. That would have been very helpful. Our other aircraft took off to refuel just prior to my liftoff (10 mins). I asked him when I returned from my flight if ZZZ tower had mentioned paradrops to him. He said 'yes.' a 'heads up' call to our communications person or myself would have also been very helpful, since he knew I would be departing in that direction soon after him. That will be brought up at our next safety meeting. I did finally see a parachute and was well clear of the area.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC ON EMS MISSION PERFORMS AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF ABC ARPT. AREA NOTAMED FOR PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL TO FIND A FLT WAITING FOR ME. I QUICKLY PREFLTED THE ACFT AND DEPARTED WITH THE MEDICAL CREW TO PICK UP A PATIENT. I CALLED ZZZ TWR AS I WAS CLBING OUT FOR A SE TRANSITION THROUGH THEIR ATA. THEY ADVISED ME TO TURN EBOUND DUE TO PARADROPS JUST S OF MY LOCATION. I THEN REMEMBERED THE NOTAM I HAD READ THE NIGHT BEFORE: 'XYZ PAJA 063010 1 NMR 5500/BLO EFF 302200 - 310000.' I HAD NOT CHKED WX AND NOTAMS AS I NORMALLY DO WHEN I COME ON SHIFT. I WAS NOTIFIED IN THE ELEVATOR ON THE WAY TO THE HELIPAD A FLT WAS WAITING FOR ME, SO I WENT DIRECTLY TO THE ACFT, WHERE THE OFF-GOING PLT WAS JUST SHUTTING DOWN AFTER A REFUEL FLT TO ZZZ ARPT. HE MADE NO MENTION OF PARADROPS. THE WX WAS EXCELLENT AND MY DEST WAS ONLY 33 NM AWAY. IT IS 2 NM FROM OUR HOSPITAL TO THE PARK WHERE THE PARADROPS WERE TAKING PLACE. WE ARE 5 NM NW OF ZZZ. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE 1 MI DISTANCE RESTRICTION AND PROBABLY MADE APCH CTL VERY NERVOUS AS I POPPED UP ON RADAR WHILE TAKING OFF AS I WAS TOLD BY ZZZ TWR THAT THE PARADROP ACFT WAS TALKING TO XYZ APCH CTL. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED NOTAMS. I WOULD HAVE ALLOWED MUCH MORE DISTANCE FROM THE DROP ZONE IF I HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE ACTIVITY. I DID CHK ZZZ ATIS PRIOR TO DEPARTING AND ON MY RETURN TRIP TO THE HOSPITAL. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF PARADROP ACTIVITY EITHER TIME. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL. OUR OTHER ACFT TOOK OFF TO REFUEL JUST PRIOR TO MY LIFTOFF (10 MINS). I ASKED HIM WHEN I RETURNED FROM MY FLT IF ZZZ TWR HAD MENTIONED PARADROPS TO HIM. HE SAID 'YES.' A 'HEADS UP' CALL TO OUR COMS PERSON OR MYSELF WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY HELPFUL, SINCE HE KNEW I WOULD BE DEPARTING IN THAT DIRECTION SOON AFTER HIM. THAT WILL BE BROUGHT UP AT OUR NEXT SAFETY MEETING. I DID FINALLY SEE A PARACHUTE AND WAS WELL CLR OF THE AREA.

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.