Unauthorized penetration of airspace and proximity of TCA by EMS flight.

Attributes
ACN	201815
Time
Date	199202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	201815
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was proceeding to a hospital within the ZZZ TCA on an EMS flight. Initiated and maintained radio contact with ZZZ tower: was squawking a discrete transponder code per LOA. Requested permission to enter TCA and was asked to circum navigation until a beam the landing area. Due to darkness, fog and light rain, pilot confused highway for another road and inadvertently entered TCA. Inside the TCA by 1 NM, pilot recognized the error, and turned to exit TCA by quickest route. At the same time, tower called advising of incursion. Pilot acknowledged and advised tower of intentions. After exiting TCA, remainder of flight and return proceeded uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE AND PROX OF TCA BY EMS FLT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS PROCEEDING TO A HOSPITAL WITHIN THE ZZZ TCA ON AN EMS FLT. INITIATED AND MAINTAINED RADIO CONTACT WITH ZZZ TWR: WAS SQUAWKING A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE PER LOA. REQUESTED PERMISSION TO ENTER TCA AND WAS ASKED TO CIRCUM NAV UNTIL A BEAM THE LNDG AREA. DUE TO DARKNESS, FOG AND LIGHT RAIN, PLT CONFUSED HWY FOR ANOTHER ROAD AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED TCA. INSIDE THE TCA BY 1 NM, PLT RECOGNIZED THE ERROR, AND TURNED TO EXIT TCA BY QUICKEST RTE. AT THE SAME TIME, TWR CALLED ADVISING OF INCURSION. PLT ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADVISED TWR OF INTENTIONS. AFTER EXITING TCA, REMAINDER OF FLT AND RETURN PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.