Possible inadvertent entry into class 'D' airspace.

Attributes
ACN	310124
Time
Date	199507
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	310129
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was diverted by my dispatcher to XXX. My home base is ZZZ and I was unfamiliar with the route to XXX. Then I was diverted to an emergency scene. My GPS had me over YYY airport. I made a call on unicom. Then 'kaaa' appeared within the 10 NM ring on my radar. I turned away from kaaa, changed the radio, and contacted kaaa tower for permission through the class 'D' airspace. He granted me permission and said he, 'had me in sight.' I changed the distance of the rings on the radar and I was on the edge of 5 NM but flying away. I may have entered the airspace before receiving permission. I have about 10 hours experience with this GPS and radar. I do not know why kaaa did not initially appear when I requested the 10 closest airports. The 'kaaa' might have been obscured by ground clutter or WX on the radar. Orientation can be difficult on EMS flts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the bk-117 in medevac operations. He has not heard form the FAA on this incident. Air traffic in his area of operations is 'very good to him.' his operation uses a discreet squawk so that EMS helicopters are readily identifiable. The reporter admits that the GPS navigation problem was 'operator error' only.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO CLASS 'D' AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS DIVERTED BY MY DISPATCHER TO XXX. MY HOME BASE IS ZZZ AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE RTE TO XXX. THEN I WAS DIVERTED TO AN EMER SCENE. MY GPS HAD ME OVER YYY ARPT. I MADE A CALL ON UNICOM. THEN 'KAAA' APPEARED WITHIN THE 10 NM RING ON MY RADAR. I TURNED AWAY FROM KAAA, CHANGED THE RADIO, AND CONTACTED KAAA TWR FOR PERMISSION THROUGH THE CLASS 'D' AIRSPACE. HE GRANTED ME PERMISSION AND SAID HE, 'HAD ME IN SIGHT.' I CHANGED THE DISTANCE OF THE RINGS ON THE RADAR AND I WAS ON THE EDGE OF 5 NM BUT FLYING AWAY. I MAY HAVE ENTERED THE AIRSPACE BEFORE RECEIVING PERMISSION. I HAVE ABOUT 10 HRS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS GPS AND RADAR. I DO NOT KNOW WHY KAAA DID NOT INITIALLY APPEAR WHEN I REQUESTED THE 10 CLOSEST ARPTS. THE 'KAAA' MIGHT HAVE BEEN OBSCURED BY GND CLUTTER OR WX ON THE RADAR. ORIENTATION CAN BE DIFFICULT ON EMS FLTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE BK-117 IN MEDEVAC OPS. HE HAS NOT HEARD FORM THE FAA ON THIS INCIDENT. AIR TFC IN HIS AREA OF OPS IS 'VERY GOOD TO HIM.' HIS OP USES A DISCREET SQUAWK SO THAT EMS HELIS ARE READILY IDENTIFIABLE. THE RPTR ADMITS THAT THE GPS NAV PROB WAS 'OPERATOR ERROR' ONLY.

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.