EMS helicopter enters surface area of arsa while trying to clear TCA.

Attributes
ACN	206885
Time
Date	199204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4900 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	206885
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While trying to clear with ZZZ TCA controller I change the VOR to 109.9 ILS/DME and found myself in the arsa as expected on the ZZZ TCA chart but not in the control zone (4.6 NM). I turned approximately 90 degrees to the northeast and was out of the arsa. Contributing factors: preoccupied with trying to call ZZZ when clearing their airspace. Also trying another radio call to our flight following center. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states his mistake was trying to do too much in too little time. Could have asked crew to wait until clear of airspace. There is a helicopter corridor to transit TCA and reporter was coordination with approach for the transition. Just failed to monitor ground references closely enough. Workload was high as hospital was beneath TCA and first time to fly in and out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI ENTERS SURFACE AREA OF ARSA WHILE TRYING TO CLR TCA.

Narrative: WHILE TRYING TO CLR WITH ZZZ TCA CTLR I CHANGE THE VOR TO 109.9 ILS/DME AND FOUND MYSELF IN THE ARSA AS EXPECTED ON THE ZZZ TCA CHART BUT NOT IN THE CTL ZONE (4.6 NM). I TURNED APPROX 90 DEGS TO THE NE AND WAS OUT OF THE ARSA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PREOCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO CALL ZZZ WHEN CLRING THEIR AIRSPACE. ALSO TRYING ANOTHER RADIO CALL TO OUR FLT FOLLOWING CTR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HIS MISTAKE WAS TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH IN TOO LITTLE TIME. COULD HAVE ASKED CREW TO WAIT UNTIL CLR OF AIRSPACE. THERE IS A HELI CORRIDOR TO TRANSIT TCA AND RPTR WAS COORD WITH APCH FOR THE TRANSITION. JUST FAILED TO MONITOR GND REFS CLOSELY ENOUGH. WORKLOAD WAS HIGH AS HOSPITAL WAS BENEATH TCA AND FIRST TIME TO FLY IN AND OUT.

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.