Narrative:

After departing a local airport en route to an aerial photo site I requested permission from pit departure to transition the TCA. The controller gave me a squawk code which I put in and responded. The controller then gave me an altitude and heading to fly, which I responded. On the heading and altitude given (which I was at already before contacting departure). I received the following call from the controller: 'helicopter...oh, you're already in the TCA, cleared through the TCA at or below 2500 I show you 7 1/2 southwest montour VOR, I'll have on course heading for you in a moment.' at this time my LORAN read 8 NM southwest of pit, which is outside the TCA. I took the clearance and proceeded on the flight. Nothing else was said. I do not know if a violation was filed or not. I believe it would be on my part human error, break down in communication or perhaps LORAN malfunction of programming (wrong long and latitude exactly). I currently hold CFI rotorcraft/agi/and cfii ground. I am well aware of the problems of TCA clrncs and the importance of receiving it before entering it and even with over 2000 hours I still could have made this mistake. The human element played a large part in this, the photo shot had to be completed in less than 1 hour, so I was rushing the flight and that seems to be where we make our most mistakes. Other small things occurred during this flight that made it a very eye-opening hour. I have slowed down, and once again think out every move. I feel recurrent training is very, very important. I also feel pressure of the flight played a large part affecting my judgement and performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PENETRATION TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING A LCL ARPT ENRTE TO AN AERIAL PHOTO SITE I REQUESTED PERMISSION FROM PIT DEP TO TRANSITION THE TCA. THE CTLR GAVE ME A SQUAWK CODE WHICH I PUT IN AND RESPONDED. THE CTLR THEN GAVE ME AN ALT AND HDG TO FLY, WHICH I RESPONDED. ON THE HDG AND ALT GIVEN (WHICH I WAS AT ALREADY BEFORE CONTACTING DEP). I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CALL FROM THE CTLR: 'HELI...OH, YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE TCA, CLRED THROUGH THE TCA AT OR BELOW 2500 I SHOW YOU 7 1/2 SW MONTOUR VOR, I'LL HAVE ON COURSE HDG FOR YOU IN A MOMENT.' AT THIS TIME MY LORAN READ 8 NM SW OF PIT, WHICH IS OUTSIDE THE TCA. I TOOK THE CLRNC AND PROCEEDED ON THE FLT. NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. I DO NOT KNOW IF A VIOLATION WAS FILED OR NOT. I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE ON MY PART HUMAN ERROR, BREAK DOWN IN COM OR PERHAPS LORAN MALFUNCTION OF PROGRAMMING (WRONG LONG AND LAT EXACTLY). I CURRENTLY HOLD CFI ROTORCRAFT/AGI/AND CFII GND. I AM WELL AWARE OF THE PROBS OF TCA CLRNCS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RECEIVING IT BEFORE ENTERING IT AND EVEN WITH OVER 2000 HRS I STILL COULD HAVE MADE THIS MISTAKE. THE HUMAN ELEMENT PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THIS, THE PHOTO SHOT HAD TO BE COMPLETED IN LESS THAN 1 HR, SO I WAS RUSHING THE FLT AND THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE WE MAKE OUR MOST MISTAKES. OTHER SMALL THINGS OCCURRED DURING THIS FLT THAT MADE IT A VERY EYE-OPENING HR. I HAVE SLOWED DOWN, AND ONCE AGAIN THINK OUT EVERY MOVE. I FEEL RECURRENT TRNING IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. I ALSO FEEL PRESSURE OF THE FLT PLAYED A LARGE PART AFFECTING MY JUDGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE.

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.