An EMS helicopter may have entered class 'C' without establishing radio contact.

Attributes
ACN	278877
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3900 msl bound upper : 3900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 175
ASRS Report	278877
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I possibly entered class 'C' air space unintentionally without establishing radio contact. I attempted radio contact from 22 mi east of hospital downtown with negative results. This was probably because of our low altitude (500 ft AGL) and mountain ridges between my position and downtown. I called again at the crest of xyz mountain which is the east boundary of the class C outer circle beginning at 4200 ft MSL. When contact was made, I was ascending and might have actually been in class 'C' airspace. Communication was complicated at the time because I was also talking to 2 hospitals on 2 other frequencys. Raising the floor of class C airspace in the area of xyz mountain would prevent this type incursion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMS HELI MAY HAVE ENTERED CLASS 'C' WITHOUT ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: I POSSIBLY ENTERED CLASS 'C' AIR SPACE UNINTENTIONALLY WITHOUT ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT. I ATTEMPTED RADIO CONTACT FROM 22 MI E OF HOSPITAL DOWNTOWN WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THIS WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF OUR LOW ALT (500 FT AGL) AND MOUNTAIN RIDGES BTWN MY POS AND DOWNTOWN. I CALLED AGAIN AT THE CREST OF XYZ MOUNTAIN WHICH IS THE E BOUNDARY OF THE CLASS C OUTER CIRCLE BEGINNING AT 4200 FT MSL. WHEN CONTACT WAS MADE, I WAS ASCENDING AND MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN IN CLASS 'C' AIRSPACE. COMMUNICATION WAS COMPLICATED AT THE TIME BECAUSE I WAS ALSO TALKING TO 2 HOSPITALS ON 2 OTHER FREQS. RAISING THE FLOOR OF CLASS C AIRSPACE IN THE AREA OF XYZ MOUNTAIN WOULD PREVENT THIS TYPE INCURSION.

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.