EMS rotary winged traffic complaint on approach controller technique ATC communication.

Attributes
ACN	267551
Time
Date	199403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	267551
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While on an IFR EMS flight from XXX to YYY, I was in VMC conditions at 3000 ft MSL on an IFR flight. Approximately 10-15 mi wnw of YYY, approach control said that because of traffic he would have to vector me far to the northeast of YYY. I had a patient on board. I was in VMC conditions and could see degree. I was given the choice of being vectored about 25 mins out of my way or canceling IFR and continuing VFR. I chose to cancel. The controller instead of descending me (which I asked for) to below the floor of the class B airspace and then releasing me to VFR, told me to squawk 1200 and resume my own navigation. The floor of the class B airspace is 1900 ft MSL close to the position he released me. So, with a patient on board, I had to descend at about 1000-1500 FPM to get under the floor of the airspace ahead. I believe I made it in time but I wasn't sure. I was not asked to call approach by phone, and I continued the flight without incident. Because I was a helicopter en route to a hospital (in YYY airspace) I was a low priority to approach he has jet traffic in and out of ZZZ. He could have asked if I was in VMC conditions and descended me to below the floor of the upcoming airspace before just 'dumping' me out where I had to descend at a quick pace to avoid airspace penetration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS ROTARY WINGED TFC COMPLAINT ON APCH CTLR TECHNIQUE ATC COM.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR EMS FLT FROM XXX TO YYY, I WAS IN VMC CONDITIONS AT 3000 FT MSL ON AN IFR FLT. APPROX 10-15 MI WNW OF YYY, APCH CTL SAID THAT BECAUSE OF TFC HE WOULD HAVE TO VECTOR ME FAR TO THE NE OF YYY. I HAD A PATIENT ON BOARD. I WAS IN VMC CONDITIONS AND COULD SEE DEG. I WAS GIVEN THE CHOICE OF BEING VECTORED ABOUT 25 MINS OUT OF MY WAY OR CANCELING IFR AND CONTINUING VFR. I CHOSE TO CANCEL. THE CTLR INSTEAD OF DSNDING ME (WHICH I ASKED FOR) TO BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND THEN RELEASING ME TO VFR, TOLD ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND RESUME MY OWN NAV. THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE IS 1900 FT MSL CLOSE TO THE POS HE RELEASED ME. SO, WITH A PATIENT ON BOARD, I HAD TO DSND AT ABOUT 1000-1500 FPM TO GET UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE AIRSPACE AHEAD. I BELIEVE I MADE IT IN TIME BUT I WASN'T SURE. I WAS NOT ASKED TO CALL APCH BY PHONE, AND I CONTINUED THE FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. BECAUSE I WAS A HELI ENRTE TO A HOSPITAL (IN YYY AIRSPACE) I WAS A LOW PRIORITY TO APCH HE HAS JET TFC IN AND OUT OF ZZZ. HE COULD HAVE ASKED IF I WAS IN VMC CONDITIONS AND DSNDED ME TO BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE UPCOMING AIRSPACE BEFORE JUST 'DUMPING' ME OUT WHERE I HAD TO DSND AT A QUICK PACE TO AVOID AIRSPACE PENETRATION.

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.