Narrative:

While flying as a relief pilot with an EMS based program I was dispatched on a night EMS flight. This was my first flight of the day, 11 hours into my duty time. Upon lift-off from the hospital helicopter pad I turned on course to my destination hospital (GPS navigation in use) and attempted to contact X tower for clearance through the class D airspace. After 4 attempts at contacting the tower with negative results, I turned eastbound intending to circumnav the class D until contact was made and clearance obtained. This eastbound turn, in retrospect, was a poor choice, but being unfamiliar with the area an easterly heading seemed to present the minimum mission delay while sorting things out with X tower. Upon reaching the lake shore it was apparent that I would be unable to maintain VMC conditions on my current heading due to lack of horizon ground reference. I veered sbound along the shoreline, all the while attempting to contact the tower and confirm that I was on the proper frequency. By the time I realized that I was well within the class D airspace, my most expeditious route out of the class D was to continue on my present sbound course, low level along the shoreline. Outbound, I was unable to contact X tower. On the return leg I experienced no communication problems. As a 'visiting pilot' filling in at this particular hospital based EMS program, I found myself a bit confused by both my perception of the local area/topography and program procedures upon lift-off. In retrospect, I should have slowed down a bit, accepting a slower response time than I am accustomed to at my 'home program.' a classic example of poor prior planning coupled with unfamiliar procedures, poor results.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS PLT FLEW INTO CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING AS A RELIEF PLT WITH AN EMS BASED PROGRAM I WAS DISPATCHED ON A NIGHT EMS FLT. THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT OF THE DAY, 11 HRS INTO MY DUTY TIME. UPON LIFT-OFF FROM THE HOSPITAL HELI PAD I TURNED ON COURSE TO MY DEST HOSPITAL (GPS NAV IN USE) AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT X TWR FOR CLRNC THROUGH THE CLASS D AIRSPACE. AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS AT CONTACTING THE TWR WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS, I TURNED EBOUND INTENDING TO CIRCUMNAV THE CLASS D UNTIL CONTACT WAS MADE AND CLRNC OBTAINED. THIS EBOUND TURN, IN RETROSPECT, WAS A POOR CHOICE, BUT BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AN EASTERLY HDG SEEMED TO PRESENT THE MINIMUM MISSION DELAY WHILE SORTING THINGS OUT WITH X TWR. UPON REACHING THE LAKE SHORE IT WAS APPARENT THAT I WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VMC CONDITIONS ON MY CURRENT HDG DUE TO LACK OF HORIZON GND REF. I VEERED SBOUND ALONG THE SHORELINE, ALL THE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT THE TWR AND CONFIRM THAT I WAS ON THE PROPER FREQ. BY THE TIME I REALIZED THAT I WAS WELL WITHIN THE CLASS D AIRSPACE, MY MOST EXPEDITIOUS RTE OUT OF THE CLASS D WAS TO CONTINUE ON MY PRESENT SBOUND COURSE, LOW LEVEL ALONG THE SHORELINE. OUTBOUND, I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT X TWR. ON THE RETURN LEG I EXPERIENCED NO COM PROBS. AS A 'VISITING PLT' FILLING IN AT THIS PARTICULAR HOSPITAL BASED EMS PROGRAM, I FOUND MYSELF A BIT CONFUSED BY BOTH MY PERCEPTION OF THE LCL AREA/TOPOGRAPHY AND PROGRAM PROCS UPON LIFT-OFF. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE SLOWED DOWN A BIT, ACCEPTING A SLOWER RESPONSE TIME THAN I AM ACCUSTOMED TO AT MY 'HOME PROGRAM.' A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF POOR PRIOR PLANNING COUPLED WITH UNFAMILIAR PROCS, POOR RESULTS.

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.