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Penetrated class C airspace without radio communication. Discrepancy between aircraft GPS position and tower radar position.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 333390 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199604 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1900 msl bound upper : 1900 |
| 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 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 333390 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While transporting a patient from a to B hospital, I passed east of X airport which has class C airspace. I thought I would be well clear of the surface area and below the veil. When I was getting closer it appeared I might pass closer to the core surface area than I originally thought. I checked the GPS airport mode, which indicated the closest I came to the airport was 5.2 mi. After landing at B hospital I was asked to call the tower. They said I had come within 4.5 mi of the airport according to their radar, and I had not called them. No further action was to be taken after I explained my side of the situation. I think I should have called the X ATC facility. Even though to my knowledge I passed clear of the class C area, the facility felt I had intruded into their airspace without a radio call. GPS is very accurate and uses the center of the airport complex as the basis of its measurement from the airport, the radar or other navaids at the airport may not be at or use that point for reference.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PENETRATED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT RADIO COM. DISCREPANCY BTWN ACFT GPS POS AND TWR RADAR POS.
Narrative: WHILE TRANSPORTING A PATIENT FROM A TO B HOSPITAL, I PASSED E OF X ARPT WHICH HAS CLASS C AIRSPACE. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE WELL CLR OF THE SURFACE AREA AND BELOW THE VEIL. WHEN I WAS GETTING CLOSER IT APPEARED I MIGHT PASS CLOSER TO THE CORE SURFACE AREA THAN I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. I CHKED THE GPS ARPT MODE, WHICH INDICATED THE CLOSEST I CAME TO THE ARPT WAS 5.2 MI. AFTER LNDG AT B HOSPITAL I WAS ASKED TO CALL THE TWR. THEY SAID I HAD COME WITHIN 4.5 MI OF THE ARPT ACCORDING TO THEIR RADAR, AND I HAD NOT CALLED THEM. NO FURTHER ACTION WAS TO BE TAKEN AFTER I EXPLAINED MY SIDE OF THE SIT. I THINK I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THE X ATC FACILITY. EVEN THOUGH TO MY KNOWLEDGE I PASSED CLR OF THE CLASS C AREA, THE FACILITY FELT I HAD INTRUDED INTO THEIR AIRSPACE WITHOUT A RADIO CALL. GPS IS VERY ACCURATE AND USES THE CTR OF THE ARPT COMPLEX AS THE BASIS OF ITS MEASUREMENT FROM THE ARPT, THE RADAR OR OTHER NAVAIDS AT THE ARPT MAY NOT BE AT OR USE THAT POINT FOR REF.
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.