<< >> NASA ASRS Report 417790, October 1998

Pilot of a robinson R22 helicopter flew through class C airspace during a power line patrol without contacting approach control. He was not fully aware of his exact position due to not having any radio navigation equipment aboard. He learned of his error just prior to leaving the airspace.

Attributes
ACN	417790
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mht
State Reference	NH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 70 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mht
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Robinson R22
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 1510 flight time type : 1240
ASRS Report	417790
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a power line patrol, with an R22 helicopter, flying at about 70-100 ft AGL without navigation equipment such as LORAN, GPS, VOR or ADF. Due to low altitude flight operation it is very difficult to locate position. We had started to patrol the power line about 15 NM northwest of bos flying nwbound to new hampshire where I flew through manchester class C airspace without radio call due to wrong estimated position. To prevent a recurrence or correct the situation greater preflight planning and navigation awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A ROBINSON R22 HELI FLEW THROUGH CLASS C AIRSPACE DURING A PWR LINE PATROL WITHOUT CONTACTING APCH CTL. HE WAS NOT FULLY AWARE OF HIS EXACT POS DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY RADIO NAV EQUIP ABOARD. HE LEARNED OF HIS ERROR JUST PRIOR TO LEAVING THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS ON A PWR LINE PATROL, WITH AN R22 HELI, FLYING AT ABOUT 70-100 FT AGL WITHOUT NAV EQUIP SUCH AS LORAN, GPS, VOR OR ADF. DUE TO LOW ALT FLT OP IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE POS. WE HAD STARTED TO PATROL THE PWR LINE ABOUT 15 NM NW OF BOS FLYING NWBOUND TO NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE I FLEW THROUGH MANCHESTER CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT RADIO CALL DUE TO WRONG ESTIMATED POS. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OR CORRECT THE SIT GREATER PREFLT PLANNING AND NAV AWARENESS.

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.