Flight crew of a cpr helicopter inadvertently flew through class C airspace due to not lowering thei...

Attributes
ACN	336480
Time
Date	199605
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : isp airport : fok
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : bjc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	336480
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far 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:

Repositioning flight for passenger pickup, was flying with a 'part timer' (non company replacement pilot). He was flying, I was navigating and working radios. ATC was busy. Since it was a good VFR day and we were thoroughly familiar with the route and area, I elected to just avoid the area class C at islip, and to proceed eastbound to our destination VFR. We had been crossing at 2500 ft and my intention was to have him descend to 1500 ft to fly below the airspace. We were discussing his recent loss of employment and I neglected to have him descend to below 1500 ft. As we checked in with fok control tower for a clearance through the class D, he told us to contact long island approach, the previous sector flown through. Upon establishing contact we were advised of our having flown through the northern edge of his airspace without contacting him. More attention was paid to non aviation conversation than proper airspace avoidance. Nonstandard operations with a temporary pilot disrupted normal procedures. The clear day lured me into less than diligent attention to our location.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A CPR HELI INADVERTENTLY FLEW THROUGH CLASS C AIRSPACE DUE TO NOT LOWERING THEIR ALT TO REMAIN CLR BENEATH THE FLOOR OF THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: REPOSITIONING FLT FOR PAX PICKUP, WAS FLYING WITH A 'PART TIMER' (NON COMPANY REPLACEMENT PLT). HE WAS FLYING, I WAS NAVING AND WORKING RADIOS. ATC WAS BUSY. SINCE IT WAS A GOOD VFR DAY AND WE WERE THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE RTE AND AREA, I ELECTED TO JUST AVOID THE AREA CLASS C AT ISLIP, AND TO PROCEED EBOUND TO OUR DEST VFR. WE HAD BEEN XING AT 2500 FT AND MY INTENTION WAS TO HAVE HIM DSND TO 1500 FT TO FLY BELOW THE AIRSPACE. WE WERE DISCUSSING HIS RECENT LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT AND I NEGLECTED TO HAVE HIM DSND TO BELOW 1500 FT. AS WE CHKED IN WITH FOK CTL TWR FOR A CLRNC THROUGH THE CLASS D, HE TOLD US TO CONTACT LONG ISLAND APCH, THE PREVIOUS SECTOR FLOWN THROUGH. UPON ESTABLISHING CONTACT WE WERE ADVISED OF OUR HAVING FLOWN THROUGH THE NORTHERN EDGE OF HIS AIRSPACE WITHOUT CONTACTING HIM. MORE ATTN WAS PAID TO NON AVIATION CONVERSATION THAN PROPER AIRSPACE AVOIDANCE. NONSTANDARD OPS WITH A TEMPORARY PLT DISRUPTED NORMAL PROCS. THE CLR DAY LURED ME INTO LESS THAN DILIGENT ATTN TO OUR LOCATION.

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.

Flight crew of a cpr helicopter inadvertently flew through class C airspace due to not lowering their altitude to remain clear beneath the floor of the airspace.