Narrative:

Los angeles area experienced heavy rain that created an emergency flood situation in the sepulveda basin area just southeast of van nuys airport. I was flying an small aircraft X. When we were dispatched to the area of flooding the WX was below basic VFR mins, as I was coming from the west of vny I contacted burbank approach for permission to enter the control zone. I was informed that there were several helicopters operating in the flood area maintaining VFR and if I could do the same I could join them. I ascertained that I could indeed maintain VFR and proceeded inbound. On another radio I made contact with the los angeles city fire helicopters that were involved in rescues and other tv helicopters that were taking pictures as I was. This continued for several hours with refueling stops at an FBO on the southeast side of vny airport with less than 5 mins per refuel. At some point during the rescue emergencys someone on some radio (I was monitoring several) stated that a 91.137 had been declared. I asked the la city fire 6 if I was still ok to remain. Fire 6 said that I was doing a fine job and not in their way. Knowing that I was complying with the requirement to not interfere, I remained until all victims had been plucked from the water. Both burbank approach and vny airport were aware of the events taking place. I at no time created any problems for the emergency helicopters. In fact, I was commended by both fire and police for my cooperation. I have since heard that the FAA is disturbed that we did not exit the emergency area when we learned that a 91.137 was declared. In my opinion, it would have caused more distraction to the emergency helicopters' pilots to have to usher us out of the airspace only to have to break their concentration again scant mins later when we asked for reentry permission. The only requirement that I did not comply with according to far 91.137 was that requirement of filing an informational flight plan with the controling agency. Again to have gone off frequency to file a flight plan and even for a short while been out of contact with the fire and police helicopters would have been unsafe. I refer you to mr X of the los angeles fire department helicopter division (city) to corroborate my story.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TV NEWS HELI IN AREA PRIOR TO IT BEING DECLARED A TEMPORARY RESTR AREA. RECEIVES PERMISSION FROM FIRE COPTER COORD TO REMAIN.

Narrative: LOS ANGELES AREA EXPERIENCED HVY RAIN THAT CREATED AN EMER FLOOD SITUATION IN THE SEPULVEDA BASIN AREA JUST SE OF VAN NUYS ARPT. I WAS FLYING AN SMA X. WHEN WE WERE DISPATCHED TO THE AREA OF FLOODING THE WX WAS BELOW BASIC VFR MINS, AS I WAS COMING FROM THE W OF VNY I CONTACTED BURBANK APCH FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER THE CTL ZONE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL HELIS OPERATING IN THE FLOOD AREA MAINTAINING VFR AND IF I COULD DO THE SAME I COULD JOIN THEM. I ASCERTAINED THAT I COULD INDEED MAINTAIN VFR AND PROCEEDED INBOUND. ON ANOTHER RADIO I MADE CONTACT WITH THE LOS ANGELES CITY FIRE HELIS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN RESCUES AND OTHER TV HELIS THAT WERE TAKING PICTURES AS I WAS. THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL HRS WITH REFUELING STOPS AT AN FBO ON THE SE SIDE OF VNY ARPT WITH LESS THAN 5 MINS PER REFUEL. AT SOME POINT DURING THE RESCUE EMERS SOMEONE ON SOME RADIO (I WAS MONITORING SEVERAL) STATED THAT A 91.137 HAD BEEN DECLARED. I ASKED THE LA CITY FIRE 6 IF I WAS STILL OK TO REMAIN. FIRE 6 SAID THAT I WAS DOING A FINE JOB AND NOT IN THEIR WAY. KNOWING THAT I WAS COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO NOT INTERFERE, I REMAINED UNTIL ALL VICTIMS HAD BEEN PLUCKED FROM THE WATER. BOTH BURBANK APCH AND VNY ARPT WERE AWARE OF THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE. I AT NO TIME CREATED ANY PROBLEMS FOR THE EMER HELIS. IN FACT, I WAS COMMENDED BY BOTH FIRE AND POLICE FOR MY COOPERATION. I HAVE SINCE HEARD THAT THE FAA IS DISTURBED THAT WE DID NOT EXIT THE EMER AREA WHEN WE LEARNED THAT A 91.137 WAS DECLARED. IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED MORE DISTR TO THE EMER HELIS' PLTS TO HAVE TO USHER US OUT OF THE AIRSPACE ONLY TO HAVE TO BREAK THEIR CONCENTRATION AGAIN SCANT MINS LATER WHEN WE ASKED FOR REENTRY PERMISSION. THE ONLY REQUIREMENT THAT I DID NOT COMPLY WITH ACCORDING TO FAR 91.137 WAS THAT REQUIREMENT OF FILING AN INFORMATIONAL FLT PLAN WITH THE CTLING AGENCY. AGAIN TO HAVE GONE OFF FREQ TO FILE A FLT PLAN AND EVEN FOR A SHORT WHILE BEEN OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE FIRE AND POLICE HELIS WOULD HAVE BEEN UNSAFE. I REFER YOU TO MR X OF THE LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPT HELI DIVISION (CITY) TO CORROBORATE MY STORY.

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.