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EMS helicopter unable to contact TRACON from helipad. Takes off to make contact. Aircraft within arsa, air traffic area and czn at lift off.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 206600 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199204 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8400 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 206600 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
After dropping off a patient at local hospital, departed en route to abc (hospital is inside area air traffic area) was unable to reach approach control while on helipad so called them in air. They wanted to vector me over a 'large' lake. I refused because of aircraft type and altitude. They told me to stay clear of the zone which was also impossible because the departure heliport was inside the zone to begin with. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states this is the best operation he has ever worked for. Shifts and schedules really allow for proper rest and family life. Inability to communication from ground not unusual in this type operation. Hospital located in populated area among tall buildings. Antenna usually underside of helicopters. Can hear the facility but they cannot receive the helicopter transmissions. Reporter would like to see a squawk that could identify EMS flts so controllers would be aware instantly. Feels it would make it easier on both pilots and controllers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: EMS HELI UNABLE TO CONTACT TRACON FROM HELIPAD. TAKES OFF TO MAKE CONTACT. ACFT WITHIN ARSA, ATA AND CZN AT LIFT OFF.
Narrative: AFTER DROPPING OFF A PATIENT AT LCL HOSPITAL, DEPARTED ENRTE TO ABC (HOSPITAL IS INSIDE AREA ATA) WAS UNABLE TO REACH APCH CTL WHILE ON HELIPAD SO CALLED THEM IN AIR. THEY WANTED TO VECTOR ME OVER A 'LARGE' LAKE. I REFUSED BECAUSE OF ACFT TYPE AND ALT. THEY TOLD ME TO STAY CLR OF THE ZONE WHICH WAS ALSO IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE DEP HELIPORT WAS INSIDE THE ZONE TO BEGIN WITH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THIS IS THE BEST OP HE HAS EVER WORKED FOR. SHIFTS AND SCHEDULES REALLY ALLOW FOR PROPER REST AND FAMILY LIFE. INABILITY TO COM FROM GND NOT UNUSUAL IN THIS TYPE OP. HOSPITAL LOCATED IN POPULATED AREA AMONG TALL BUILDINGS. ANTENNA USUALLY UNDERSIDE OF HELIS. CAN HEAR THE FACILITY BUT THEY CANNOT RECEIVE THE HELI TRANSMISSIONS. RPTR WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SQUAWK THAT COULD IDENT EMS FLTS SO CTLRS WOULD BE AWARE INSTANTLY. FEELS IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER ON BOTH PLTS AND CTLRS.
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.