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An air ambulance helicopter takes off from a part time ATCT airport without calling for takeoff clearance at ZZZ, us.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 449040 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199909 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 62 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 449040 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Was on the ground at ZZZ airport getting fuel. After refuel, received another call (this is a medical aircraft). I was to respond back to the hospital 1/2 mi west of ZZZ and pick up my crew and respond to a person hit by a car. During run-up, I felt some pressure to get going quickly. I called my communications center and told them I was departing ZZZ back to the hospital to pick up my crew. I was having microphone problems and it took me several attempts to contact my communications. I thought 'just get to the hospital' and 'I'll fix the microphone while the crew is loading.' I departed without a clearance, thinking that the tower was closed. In fact, the tower was still open. Time was PA40 and the tower closes at PN00. I was unable to contact tower due to the microphone problem. There was no traffic. I did a clearing turn and departed. On final at the hospital, my microphone began to work again and I did speak with the tower. I should have slowed down and fixed the microphone before takeoff from ZZZ. I should have been better aware of the time and should have realized the tower was still open. I need to slow down and do it all by the book. Don't let the excitement of the situation take over! I will not let this happen again.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AIR AMBULANCE HELI TAKES OFF FROM A PART TIME ATCT ARPT WITHOUT CALLING FOR TKOF CLRNC AT ZZZ, US.
Narrative: WAS ON THE GND AT ZZZ ARPT GETTING FUEL. AFTER REFUEL, RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL (THIS IS A MEDICAL ACFT). I WAS TO RESPOND BACK TO THE HOSPITAL 1/2 MI W OF ZZZ AND PICK UP MY CREW AND RESPOND TO A PERSON HIT BY A CAR. DURING RUN-UP, I FELT SOME PRESSURE TO GET GOING QUICKLY. I CALLED MY COMS CTR AND TOLD THEM I WAS DEPARTING ZZZ BACK TO THE HOSPITAL TO PICK UP MY CREW. I WAS HAVING MIKE PROBS AND IT TOOK ME SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT MY COMS. I THOUGHT 'JUST GET TO THE HOSPITAL' AND 'I'LL FIX THE MIKE WHILE THE CREW IS LOADING.' I DEPARTED WITHOUT A CLRNC, THINKING THAT THE TWR WAS CLOSED. IN FACT, THE TWR WAS STILL OPEN. TIME WAS PA40 AND THE TWR CLOSES AT PN00. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR DUE TO THE MIKE PROB. THERE WAS NO TFC. I DID A CLRING TURN AND DEPARTED. ON FINAL AT THE HOSPITAL, MY MIKE BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN AND I DID SPEAK WITH THE TWR. I SHOULD HAVE SLOWED DOWN AND FIXED THE MIKE BEFORE TKOF FROM ZZZ. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER AWARE OF THE TIME AND SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THE TWR WAS STILL OPEN. I NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND DO IT ALL BY THE BOOK. DON'T LET THE EXCITEMENT OF THE SIT TAKE OVER! I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.
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.