EMS helicopter fully staffed with medical personnel, awaiting takeoff clearance, observed aircraft land with gear up. Tower closed field. Helicopter advised of its status and requested clearance to crash site. Thought approved by the tower. Later questioned by tower and supervisor if clearance was actually given.

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Attributes
ACN	360846
Time
Date	199702
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	360846
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	360837
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At the time of this incident the undersigned was a copilot of a fully staffed EMS helicopter. While waiting for takeoff clearance from a helipad an airplane was observed as it landed without extending the landing gear. The tower immediately closed the airport to all traffic and at that time we advised the tower of our capability and requested repositioning to the crash site reference rendering any needed medical assistance. A reply from the tower consisted of somewhat confusing conversation among tower personnel and what we believed to be a clearance to reposition to the crash site. Our movement was made safely without incident or conflict with any other aircraft and proper medical care was rendered. Afterward the question arose from tower personnel to our aviation supervisor as to whether or not we had proper clearance to move around on the closed airport. We believe we did receive the proper clearance from the tower operator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI FULLY STAFFED WITH MEDICAL PERSONNEL, AWAITING TKOF CLRNC, OBSERVED ACFT LAND WITH GEAR UP. TWR CLOSED FIELD. HELI ADVISED OF ITS STATUS AND REQUESTED CLRNC TO CRASH SITE. THOUGHT APPROVED BY THE TWR. LATER QUESTIONED BY TWR AND SUPVR IF CLRNC WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN.

Narrative: AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT THE UNDERSIGNED WAS A COPLT OF A FULLY STAFFED EMS HELI. WHILE WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC FROM A HELIPAD AN AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED AS IT LANDED WITHOUT EXTENDING THE LNDG GEAR. THE TWR IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THE ARPT TO ALL TFC AND AT THAT TIME WE ADVISED THE TWR OF OUR CAPABILITY AND REQUESTED REPOSITIONING TO THE CRASH SITE REF RENDERING ANY NEEDED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. A REPLY FROM THE TWR CONSISTED OF SOMEWHAT CONFUSING CONVERSATION AMONG TWR PERSONNEL AND WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE A CLRNC TO REPOSITION TO THE CRASH SITE. OUR MOVEMENT WAS MADE SAFELY WITHOUT INCIDENT OR CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT AND PROPER MEDICAL CARE WAS RENDERED. AFTERWARD THE QUESTION AROSE FROM TWR PERSONNEL TO OUR AVIATION SUPVR AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD PROPER CLRNC TO MOVE AROUND ON THE CLOSED ARPT. WE BELIEVE WE DID RECEIVE THE PROPER CLRNC FROM THE TWR OPERATOR.

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.