Pilot of small transport helicopter EMS operation penetrated the czn prior to obtaining clearance.

Attributes
ACN	224322
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 1550
ASRS Report	224322
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

As I was approaching ZZZ from southeast at 1500 ft MSL, and waiting for the ATIS to become understandable, before requesting a transition past ZZZ to hospital a. As I arranged to med patch for the medical crew, I was surprised to find myself within 5 NM for ZZZ and additionally surprised to find ZZZ reporting IFR. Upon understanding that ZZZ was IFR, I requested a special IFR clearance through the control zone to hospital. The rest of the flight was uneventful. Afterwards I found that the 115V medical invertor restricts the reception distance of the #2 communication! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that the flight never encountered IMC, but had to request 'special IFR' to transition ZZZ that was reporting IFR. The pilot did divert from original destination to hospital a, where patient was transported by ambulance to destination hospital. The diversion was due to worsening WX in direction of destination hospital. Additionally medical invertor that interfered with #2 communication reception was replaced 10 days later with lower voltage invertor. Reporter stated that he should have anticipated the air traffic area better but WX and #2 communication interference distracted him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT HELI EMS OP PENETRATED THE CZN PRIOR TO OBTAINING CLRNC.

Narrative: AS I WAS APCHING ZZZ FROM SE AT 1500 FT MSL, AND WAITING FOR THE ATIS TO BECOME UNDERSTANDABLE, BEFORE REQUESTING A TRANSITION PAST ZZZ TO HOSPITAL A. AS I ARRANGED TO MED PATCH FOR THE MEDICAL CREW, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND MYSELF WITHIN 5 NM FOR ZZZ AND ADDITIONALLY SURPRISED TO FIND ZZZ RPTING IFR. UPON UNDERSTANDING THAT ZZZ WAS IFR, I REQUESTED A SPECIAL IFR CLRNC THROUGH THE CTL ZONE TO HOSPITAL. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. AFTERWARDS I FOUND THAT THE 115V MEDICAL INVERTOR RESTRICTS THE RECEPTION DISTANCE OF THE #2 COM! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT THE FLT NEVER ENCOUNTERED IMC, BUT HAD TO REQUEST 'SPECIAL IFR' TO TRANSITION ZZZ THAT WAS RPTING IFR. THE PLT DID DIVERT FROM ORIGINAL DEST TO HOSPITAL A, WHERE PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO DEST HOSPITAL. THE DIVERSION WAS DUE TO WORSENING WX IN DIRECTION OF DEST HOSPITAL. ADDITIONALLY MEDICAL INVERTOR THAT INTERFERED WITH #2 COM RECEPTION WAS REPLACED 10 DAYS LATER WITH LOWER VOLTAGE INVERTOR. RPTR STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THE ATA BETTER BUT WX AND #2 COM INTERFERENCE DISTRACTED HIM.

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.