Narrative:

I launched to pick up a trauma patient (car wreck) at approximately XX20. There was a misunderstanding as to the pickup location and the patient destination. The original plan was a pick up in abc and return to def. Halfway there I was informed that the pick up was to be in xyz and the patient delivered to ZZZ, then a return to def. Consequently, I didn't have sufficient fuel to make the complete trip. Normally, we carry enough fuel for the flight plus a 30 min reserve. After delivering the patient to ZZZ hospital, I flew to ZZZ airport to get fuel for the return to def. Upon arriving in the vicinity of the airport and receiving no radio replies, I tried all unicom frequencys and ZZZ airport and XXX airport, also receiving no replies. It was well past posted closing times. Since I was well into my 30 min reserve and ZZZ advertises 24 hour fuel service, I attempted to turn the lights on with all listed frequencys. Fuel status was becoming a real concern, so I elected to continue approach to the taxiway and shot the approach to the lighted area. I purchased fuel and returned to def to a standby status. I was able to update my WX briefing with current observation, but failed to update NOTAMS. I would have found that ZZZ was closed for repairs that night and would have made other plans. However, I landed at a closed airport and failed to obtain proper preflight information. There is a last time for most things and this fiasco was it for a leap through the back pockets flight planning sequence. We have a problem with the dispatch procedures at this end. Improper or insufficient flight planning information is inexcusable as was my predicament. Remedial actions are in progress. I do not intend to allow myself to end up like that again.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER PLT LANDED AT CLOSED ARPT FOR FUEL.

Narrative: I LAUNCHED TO PICK UP A TRAUMA PATIENT (CAR WRECK) AT APPROX XX20. THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING AS TO THE PICKUP LOCATION AND THE PATIENT DEST. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS A PICK UP IN ABC AND RETURN TO DEF. HALFWAY THERE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PICK UP WAS TO BE IN XYZ AND THE PATIENT DELIVERED TO ZZZ, THEN A RETURN TO DEF. CONSEQUENTLY, I DIDN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL TO MAKE THE COMPLETE TRIP. NORMALLY, WE CARRY ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT PLUS A 30 MIN RESERVE. AFTER DELIVERING THE PATIENT TO ZZZ HOSPITAL, I FLEW TO ZZZ ARPT TO GET FUEL FOR THE RETURN TO DEF. UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT AND RECEIVING NO RADIO REPLIES, I TRIED ALL UNICOM FREQS AND ZZZ ARPT AND XXX ARPT, ALSO RECEIVING NO REPLIES. IT WAS WELL PAST POSTED CLOSING TIMES. SINCE I WAS WELL INTO MY 30 MIN RESERVE AND ZZZ ADVERTISES 24 HR FUEL SVC, I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON WITH ALL LISTED FREQS. FUEL STATUS WAS BECOMING A REAL CONCERN, SO I ELECTED TO CONTINUE APCH TO THE TXWY AND SHOT THE APCH TO THE LIGHTED AREA. I PURCHASED FUEL AND RETURNED TO DEF TO A STANDBY STATUS. I WAS ABLE TO UPDATE MY WX BRIEFING WITH CURRENT OBSERVATION, BUT FAILED TO UPDATE NOTAMS. I WOULD HAVE FOUND THAT ZZZ WAS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS THAT NIGHT AND WOULD HAVE MADE OTHER PLANS. HOWEVER, I LANDED AT A CLOSED ARPT AND FAILED TO OBTAIN PROPER PREFLT INFO. THERE IS A LAST TIME FOR MOST THINGS AND THIS FIASCO WAS IT FOR A LEAP THROUGH THE BACK POCKETS FLT PLANNING SEQUENCE. WE HAVE A PROB WITH THE DISPATCH PROCS AT THIS END. IMPROPER OR INSUFFICIENT FLT PLANNING INFO IS INEXCUSABLE AS WAS MY PREDICAMENT. REMEDIAL ACTIONS ARE IN PROGRESS. I DO NOT INTEND TO ALLOW MYSELF TO END UP LIKE THAT AGAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.