EMS helicopter crew enters hot MOA at night as a result of accidental navigation error.

Attributes
ACN	431810
Time
Date	199903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	431810
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	other personnel other oversight : coordinator
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Due to a shortage of pilots, I was filling in at city Z since mar/xa/99. I received an area orientation, which did not include the city a airspace or surrounding airspace. On mar/mon/99 I responded to city B to pick up a seriously injured woman and take her to the trauma hospital in city a. I was flying VFR on a company flight plan and flight following. I was aware of the MDA after departing city B and had thought I would miss the MOA by flying to the south of it towards city a airport. My plan was to then contact approach and get vectors to airport X where we would meet with an ambulance to transport the patient to the hospital. It's now evident that I was off on my navigation. I contacted approach and was informed that I was in the MOA and it was hot. The next day I contacted a safety officer who was investigating the incident and explained my side of the story. In conclusion, I have briefed our pilots about the event with recommendations so this will not happen again. 1) better (new pilot) orientation and briefing. 2) pay closer attention to NOTAMS. What caused the problem? New pilot to the area unfamiliar with the airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI CREW ENTERS HOT MOA AT NIGHT AS A RESULT OF ACCIDENTAL NAV ERROR.

Narrative: DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF PLTS, I WAS FILLING IN AT CITY Z SINCE MAR/XA/99. I RECEIVED AN AREA ORIENTATION, WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE THE CITY A AIRSPACE OR SURROUNDING AIRSPACE. ON MAR/MON/99 I RESPONDED TO CITY B TO PICK UP A SERIOUSLY INJURED WOMAN AND TAKE HER TO THE TRAUMA HOSPITAL IN CITY A. I WAS FLYING VFR ON A COMPANY FLT PLAN AND FLT FOLLOWING. I WAS AWARE OF THE MDA AFTER DEPARTING CITY B AND HAD THOUGHT I WOULD MISS THE MOA BY FLYING TO THE S OF IT TOWARDS CITY A ARPT. MY PLAN WAS TO THEN CONTACT APCH AND GET VECTORS TO ARPT X WHERE WE WOULD MEET WITH AN AMBULANCE TO TRANSPORT THE PATIENT TO THE HOSPITAL. IT'S NOW EVIDENT THAT I WAS OFF ON MY NAV. I CONTACTED APCH AND WAS INFORMED THAT I WAS IN THE MOA AND IT WAS HOT. THE NEXT DAY I CONTACTED A SAFETY OFFICER WHO WAS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT AND EXPLAINED MY SIDE OF THE STORY. IN CONCLUSION, I HAVE BRIEFED OUR PLTS ABOUT THE EVENT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS SO THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. 1) BETTER (NEW PLT) ORIENTATION AND BRIEFING. 2) PAY CLOSER ATTN TO NOTAMS. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB? NEW PLT TO THE AREA UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AIRSPACE.

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.