Bell 206B helicopter on corrosion survey for power company. Landing on the right of way adjoining th...

Attributes
ACN	364696
Time
Date	199703
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lch
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tower : aus
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	364696
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

I was assigned to fly a bell 206B III helicopter on fixed floats for commercial energy to conduct a DOT mandate corrosion survey. This involves landing on the natural gas pipeline right of way in the marsh. The technician then climbs out and wades to the valve, exposed pipe, or electrical cable hanging on a row marker post to take an electrical reading of the pipe to soil potential. I made approximately 39 lndgs on the right of way. At the end of the day was told that I had landed in a wildlife management area. I was reported by a game warden to the FAA. I had studied the area and the pipeline did not go through any posted wildlife management areas. As it turns out, the cameron prairie wildlife management area is new and is not depicted on any maps. Furthermore, commercial energy company should be responsible for notifying the controling agencies of their intent to use their right of way privileges to access their pipeline. They were not aware of this wildlife refuge either. I have been threatened with fines, citations and violations from the management area and the FAA. The customer, commercial energy company, authority/authorized me to land on their right of way. I feel they should be responsible for all permits required for access to their pipeline. Their right of way agreements should cover this. We have been performing this survey for well on 25 yrs. We also have FAA certified helicopters in other wildlife management areas and have never been questioned before.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BELL 206B HELI ON CORROSION SURVEY FOR PWR COMPANY. LNDG ON THE RIGHT OF WAY ADJOINING THE PIPELINE. GAME WARDEN CLAIMS AREA IS A WILDLIFE MGMNT AREA. NOT SHOWN ON SECTIONAL CHART.

Narrative: I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY A BELL 206B III HELI ON FIXED FLOATS FOR COMMERCIAL ENERGY TO CONDUCT A DOT MANDATE CORROSION SURVEY. THIS INVOLVES LNDG ON THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE RIGHT OF WAY IN THE MARSH. THE TECHNICIAN THEN CLBS OUT AND WADES TO THE VALVE, EXPOSED PIPE, OR ELECTRICAL CABLE HANGING ON A ROW MARKER POST TO TAKE AN ELECTRICAL READING OF THE PIPE TO SOIL POTENTIAL. I MADE APPROX 39 LNDGS ON THE RIGHT OF WAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY WAS TOLD THAT I HAD LANDED IN A WILDLIFE MGMNT AREA. I WAS RPTED BY A GAME WARDEN TO THE FAA. I HAD STUDIED THE AREA AND THE PIPELINE DID NOT GO THROUGH ANY POSTED WILDLIFE MGMNT AREAS. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE CAMERON PRAIRIE WILDLIFE MGMNT AREA IS NEW AND IS NOT DEPICTED ON ANY MAPS. FURTHERMORE, COMMERCIAL ENERGY COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTIFYING THE CTLING AGENCIES OF THEIR INTENT TO USE THEIR RIGHT OF WAY PRIVILEGES TO ACCESS THEIR PIPELINE. THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS WILDLIFE REFUGE EITHER. I HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH FINES, CITATIONS AND VIOLATIONS FROM THE MGMNT AREA AND THE FAA. THE CUSTOMER, COMMERCIAL ENERGY COMPANY, AUTH ME TO LAND ON THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL PERMITS REQUIRED FOR ACCESS TO THEIR PIPELINE. THEIR RIGHT OF WAY AGREEMENTS SHOULD COVER THIS. WE HAVE BEEN PERFORMING THIS SURVEY FOR WELL ON 25 YRS. WE ALSO HAVE FAA CERTIFIED HELIS IN OTHER WILDLIFE MGMNT AREAS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN QUESTIONED BEFORE.

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.

Bell 206B helicopter on corrosion survey for power company. Landing on the right of way adjoining the pipeline. Game warden claims area is a wildlife management area. Not shown on sectional chart.