Pilot of a cpr twin turbine helicopter inadvertently entered class D airspace due while cruising VFR...

Attributes
ACN	377500
Time
Date	199708
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ttn airport : blm
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ttn
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	377500
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

This event occurred during a flight from blm to jst. Prior to takeoff from blm, I had filed an IFR flight plan with the local FSS. I departed blm VFR. As I cleared blm's traffic pattern, I contacted mcguire clearance delivery for my IFR clearance. I was told to contact mcguire departure for my clearance. As I tuned up mcguire departure, I noted numerous radio calls to mcguire and waited approximately 2 mins before transmitting my request. I was told to contact lakehurst tower for my clearance. I tuned lakehurst tower and transmitted my request. Lakehurst told me to contact mcguire, and I replied that mcguire had dumped me to lakehurst. Lakehurst told me to stand by. After approximately 2 mins, lakehurst told me to contact mcguire and that they had my clearance. I recontacted mcguire departure whereas I was told to contact philadelphia approach, as I was exiting his airspace. I then contacted philadelphia where I was again told to stand by. It was during this break that I looked to my right and noticed an airport with a control tower. I checked my VFR sectional and confirmed it as mercer county ttn. I immediately tuned ttn tower and tried to establish radio contact, but had no success. I estimate my transition as east to west approximately 2 mi south of ttn's class D airspace at 2500 ft MSL. As I was exiting ttn's airspace, I received my IFR clearance from philadelphia and proceeded IFR. Contributing factors: ATC saturation at mcguire, numerous frequency changes in a short period of time, extreme pilot workload, anticipation of IFR clearance, flight in unfamiliar area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A CPR TWIN TURBINE HELI INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS D AIRSPACE DUE WHILE CRUISING VFR, AND WAITING TO PICK UP IFR FLT PLAN, BUT HAD NOT PLANNED TO BE WITHOUT AN IFR CLRNC BY THE TIME OR DISTANCE FROM TKOF POINT.

Narrative: THIS EVENT OCCURRED DURING A FLT FROM BLM TO JST. PRIOR TO TKOF FROM BLM, I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN WITH THE LCL FSS. I DEPARTED BLM VFR. AS I CLRED BLM'S TFC PATTERN, I CONTACTED MCGUIRE CLRNC DELIVERY FOR MY IFR CLRNC. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT MCGUIRE DEP FOR MY CLRNC. AS I TUNED UP MCGUIRE DEP, I NOTED NUMEROUS RADIO CALLS TO MCGUIRE AND WAITED APPROX 2 MINS BEFORE XMITTING MY REQUEST. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT LAKEHURST TWR FOR MY CLRNC. I TUNED LAKEHURST TWR AND XMITTED MY REQUEST. LAKEHURST TOLD ME TO CONTACT MCGUIRE, AND I REPLIED THAT MCGUIRE HAD DUMPED ME TO LAKEHURST. LAKEHURST TOLD ME TO STAND BY. AFTER APPROX 2 MINS, LAKEHURST TOLD ME TO CONTACT MCGUIRE AND THAT THEY HAD MY CLRNC. I RECONTACTED MCGUIRE DEP WHEREAS I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT PHILADELPHIA APCH, AS I WAS EXITING HIS AIRSPACE. I THEN CONTACTED PHILADELPHIA WHERE I WAS AGAIN TOLD TO STAND BY. IT WAS DURING THIS BREAK THAT I LOOKED TO MY R AND NOTICED AN ARPT WITH A CTL TWR. I CHKED MY VFR SECTIONAL AND CONFIRMED IT AS MERCER COUNTY TTN. I IMMEDIATELY TUNED TTN TWR AND TRIED TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT, BUT HAD NO SUCCESS. I ESTIMATE MY TRANSITION AS E TO W APPROX 2 MI S OF TTN'S CLASS D AIRSPACE AT 2500 FT MSL. AS I WAS EXITING TTN'S AIRSPACE, I RECEIVED MY IFR CLRNC FROM PHILADELPHIA AND PROCEEDED IFR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ATC SATURATION AT MCGUIRE, NUMEROUS FREQ CHANGES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, EXTREME PLT WORKLOAD, ANTICIPATION OF IFR CLRNC, FLT IN UNFAMILIAR 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.

Pilot of a cpr twin turbine helicopter inadvertently entered class D airspace due while cruising VFR, and waiting to pick up IFR flight plan, but had not planned to be without an IFR clearance by the time or distance from takeoff point.