EMS helicopter pilot inadvertently penetrates XXX arsa.

Attributes
ACN	163479
Time
Date	199011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz artcc : zla
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	163479
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon departing the heliport and flying north at 800' MSL, I received clearance from XXX TCA at the bridge to cross the city to the shore at 1400'. The TCA released me approximately 9 NM southwest of ZZZ over highway while still under an upper layer of the TCA with a floor of 1500' and within 2 mi of that layer terminating. The next layer with floor of 3000'. As I reached down to change my squawk to VFR (1200) I had an inadvertent altitude increase to 1600' which I immediately corrected. Then continued along highway at 1400'. I did not contact ZZZ as I intended to remain outside the air traffic area. I did look out to the north at ZZZ to see when I would cross the extended centerline of runway 34. As I neared, I saw an aircraft to my right and higher descending for what appeared to be a straight in approach to ZZZ runway 34. I thought his approach path would cross behind and above me, yet as I xed in front of him, his landing lights were directed right at me. His distance was approximately 1 mi. In retrospect, I should have maneuvered south of highway if not offshore and descended to 1000' to insure plenty of clearance for ZZZ and associated traffic. I thought it unusual for XXX to give me an altitude as high as 1400' for similar rtes they usually give me an altitude of 1100' or 1200'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES XXX ARSA.

Narrative: UPON DEPARTING THE HELIPORT AND FLYING N AT 800' MSL, I RECEIVED CLRNC FROM XXX TCA AT THE BRIDGE TO CROSS THE CITY TO THE SHORE AT 1400'. THE TCA RELEASED ME APPROX 9 NM SW OF ZZZ OVER HWY WHILE STILL UNDER AN UPPER LAYER OF THE TCA WITH A FLOOR OF 1500' AND WITHIN 2 MI OF THAT LAYER TERMINATING. THE NEXT LAYER WITH FLOOR OF 3000'. AS I REACHED DOWN TO CHANGE MY SQUAWK TO VFR (1200) I HAD AN INADVERTENT ALT INCREASE TO 1600' WHICH I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED. THEN CONTINUED ALONG HWY AT 1400'. I DID NOT CONTACT ZZZ AS I INTENDED TO REMAIN OUTSIDE THE ATA. I DID LOOK OUT TO THE N AT ZZZ TO SEE WHEN I WOULD CROSS THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 34. AS I NEARED, I SAW AN ACFT TO MY R AND HIGHER DSNDING FOR WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO ZZZ RWY 34. I THOUGHT HIS APCH PATH WOULD CROSS BEHIND AND ABOVE ME, YET AS I XED IN FRONT OF HIM, HIS LNDG LIGHTS WERE DIRECTED RIGHT AT ME. HIS DISTANCE WAS APPROX 1 MI. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE MANEUVERED S OF HWY IF NOT OFFSHORE AND DSNDED TO 1000' TO INSURE PLENTY OF CLRNC FOR ZZZ AND ASSOCIATED TFC. I THOUGHT IT UNUSUAL FOR XXX TO GIVE ME AN ALT AS HIGH AS 1400' FOR SIMILAR RTES THEY USUALLY GIVE ME AN ALT OF 1100' OR 1200'.

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.