EMS helicopter flight leaving medical center to refuel. Tower clears direct and helicopter flies int...

Attributes
ACN	375712
Time
Date	199707
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : xyz airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
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 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 4750 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	375712
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a medical flight from abc to xyz medical center, after dropping off the patient at xyz medical center flying to xyz airport for refuel I was informed that I had flown into restr airspace. When I lifted off medical center I radioed xyz tower and asked for alfa/bravo intersection for the FBO for fuel. Tower cleared me to runway 21 and taxi to alpha/bravo intersection. I departed on heading approximately 240 degrees to go in between restr airspaces and then to runway 21. When I was in between the restr airspaces tower called and asked where I was. A few mins later tower said to turn and proceed to runway 18 and fly down runway 18 to alpha/bravo intersection and to contact tower after landing. When I called the tower I was told about infringing the restr airspace and that someone would be contacting me about it. I was also asked why I was not on a different route. I told them that I was not the local EMS helicopter but another helicopter from out of the area and unfamiliar with that. At no time did I intentionally fly into that airspace if in fact I did. I used my regular call sign which tower should have known I was not local EMS. Also if they have radar couldn't tower tell me I was nearing that area?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI FLT LEAVING MEDICAL CTR TO REFUEL. TWR CLRS DIRECT AND HELI FLIES INTO PROHIBITED AIRSPACE. TWR QUESTIONS WHY HE IS NOT ON RTE.

Narrative: ON A MEDICAL FLT FROM ABC TO XYZ MEDICAL CTR, AFTER DROPPING OFF THE PATIENT AT XYZ MEDICAL CTR FLYING TO XYZ ARPT FOR REFUEL I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD FLOWN INTO RESTR AIRSPACE. WHEN I LIFTED OFF MEDICAL CTR I RADIOED XYZ TWR AND ASKED FOR ALFA/BRAVO INTXN FOR THE FBO FOR FUEL. TWR CLRED ME TO RWY 21 AND TAXI TO ALPHA/BRAVO INTXN. I DEPARTED ON HEADING APPROX 240 DEGS TO GO IN BTWN RESTR AIRSPACES AND THEN TO RWY 21. WHEN I WAS IN BTWN THE RESTR AIRSPACES TWR CALLED AND ASKED WHERE I WAS. A FEW MINS LATER TWR SAID TO TURN AND PROCEED TO RWY 18 AND FLY DOWN RWY 18 TO ALPHA/BRAVO INTXN AND TO CONTACT TWR AFTER LNDG. WHEN I CALLED THE TWR I WAS TOLD ABOUT INFRINGING THE RESTR AIRSPACE AND THAT SOMEONE WOULD BE CONTACTING ME ABOUT IT. I WAS ALSO ASKED WHY I WAS NOT ON A DIFFERENT RTE. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT THE LCL EMS HELI BUT ANOTHER HELI FROM OUT OF THE AREA AND UNFAMILIAR WITH THAT. AT NO TIME DID I INTENTIONALLY FLY INTO THAT AIRSPACE IF IN FACT I DID. I USED MY REGULAR CALL SIGN WHICH TWR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN I WAS NOT LCL EMS. ALSO IF THEY HAVE RADAR COULDN'T TWR TELL ME I WAS NEARING THAT AREA?

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.

EMS helicopter flight leaving medical center to refuel. Tower clears direct and helicopter flies into prohibited airspace. Tower questions why he is not on route.