Pilot of EMS helicopter inadvertently entered class B airspace without a clearance.

Attributes
ACN	313051
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 4950 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	313051
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on aeromedical flight with 2 patients on board, intended to transit xyz class B airspace on west side of xyz at 500 ft. While flying south at 6 NM from tower, tried to contact tower but had intermittent headphone earphone. Came to within 4 mi of airport at 500 ft before turning outbound to orbit until I could get clearance. Was able to contact tower and got clearance through, flew south, talked to abc tower on handoff, then unable to contact XXX tower. NNN hospital landing pad is about 2 mi west of XXX. Asked abc tower to get clearance for me. They did and I finally was able to hear ATCT local controller on short final. They could hear me the whole time trying to get them. Found headset to have bad card near plug making earphones intermittent. Also believe if we had a discrete transponder code it would help the tower identify us easier and make our clearance through faster with patients on board.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF EMS HELI INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ON AEROMEDICAL FLT WITH 2 PATIENTS ON BOARD, INTENDED TO TRANSIT XYZ CLASS B AIRSPACE ON W SIDE OF XYZ AT 500 FT. WHILE FLYING S AT 6 NM FROM TWR, TRIED TO CONTACT TWR BUT HAD INTERMITTENT HEADPHONE EARPHONE. CAME TO WITHIN 4 MI OF ARPT AT 500 FT BEFORE TURNING OUTBOUND TO ORBIT UNTIL I COULD GET CLRNC. WAS ABLE TO CONTACT TWR AND GOT CLRNC THROUGH, FLEW S, TALKED TO ABC TWR ON HDOF, THEN UNABLE TO CONTACT XXX TWR. NNN HOSPITAL LNDG PAD IS ABOUT 2 MI W OF XXX. ASKED ABC TWR TO GET CLRNC FOR ME. THEY DID AND I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO HEAR ATCT LCL CTLR ON SHORT FINAL. THEY COULD HEAR ME THE WHOLE TIME TRYING TO GET THEM. FOUND HEADSET TO HAVE BAD CARD NEAR PLUG MAKING EARPHONES INTERMITTENT. ALSO BELIEVE IF WE HAD A DISCRETE XPONDER CODE IT WOULD HELP THE TWR IDENT US EASIER AND MAKE OUR CLRNC THROUGH FASTER WITH PATIENTS ON BOARD.

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.