While struggling with a landing gear problem, reporter strays into tul arsa.

Attributes
ACN	239962
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tul airport : 1h6
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tul
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	239962
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A storm went through tulsa, ok. After the storm passed, we heard where the damage was and realized we had at least 6 friends that live in that area and decided to see if they had any damage, and if we needed to go give assistance and try to determine if there is a safe way to enter the area. We took off from 1h6 airport and climbed to 2000 ft and surveyed the area. We noticed helicopters, police cars, and ambulances in the area. We noticed that 3 of our friends had damage and started to check for ways in or how close we could get and walk if necessary. After we did this, returned to the 1h6 airport, as I approached I lowered the landing gear and it failed to fully extend. I had my friend hold the plane level while I troubleshot the problem. We made a couple of steep turns trying to free the gear, we made a couple of abrupt pull ups to try to free up the gear and determined that manual extension would be necessary. After completion of this we noticed that we had entered the tul arsa. We returned to 1h6 and as we did, a tulsa police helicopter came quite close to us and followed us to parking. He claimed we almost had a midair with him over the damaged area and had entered the tul arsa and that we were illegally flying over the storm damage area. I informed him that we had checked NOTAMS prior to flight and no NOTAMS were on file. He claimed that NOTAMS were not necessary. As far as the near midair, there was no way that this possibly could have happened. We were in constant surveillance of the situation, with my passenger, another pilot, who is out of BFR. As to arsa infraction, as soon as we noticed the gear problem we should have turned away and headed from the airport, fixed the problem then returned. I thought the gear problem would be a quick fix and this action would be unnecessary, and I should have kept closer watch on the person flying the airplane instead of thinking he would maintain arsa requirements. And when he offered troubleshooting ideas, I should have told him to fly the airplane and I would take care of this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE STRUGGLING WITH A LNDG GEAR PROB, RPTR STRAYS INTO TUL ARSA.

Narrative: A STORM WENT THROUGH TULSA, OK. AFTER THE STORM PASSED, WE HEARD WHERE THE DAMAGE WAS AND REALIZED WE HAD AT LEAST 6 FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA AND DECIDED TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY DAMAGE, AND IF WE NEEDED TO GO GIVE ASSISTANCE AND TRY TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A SAFE WAY TO ENTER THE AREA. WE TOOK OFF FROM 1H6 ARPT AND CLBED TO 2000 FT AND SURVEYED THE AREA. WE NOTICED HELIS, POLICE CARS, AND AMBULANCES IN THE AREA. WE NOTICED THAT 3 OF OUR FRIENDS HAD DAMAGE AND STARTED TO CHK FOR WAYS IN OR HOW CLOSE WE COULD GET AND WALK IF NECESSARY. AFTER WE DID THIS, RETURNED TO THE 1H6 ARPT, AS I APCHED I LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR AND IT FAILED TO FULLY EXTEND. I HAD MY FRIEND HOLD THE PLANE LEVEL WHILE I TROUBLESHOT THE PROB. WE MADE A COUPLE OF STEEP TURNS TRYING TO FREE THE GEAR, WE MADE A COUPLE OF ABRUPT PULL UPS TO TRY TO FREE UP THE GEAR AND DETERMINED THAT MANUAL EXTENSION WOULD BE NECESSARY. AFTER COMPLETION OF THIS WE NOTICED THAT WE HAD ENTERED THE TUL ARSA. WE RETURNED TO 1H6 AND AS WE DID, A TULSA POLICE HELI CAME QUITE CLOSE TO US AND FOLLOWED US TO PARKING. HE CLAIMED WE ALMOST HAD A MIDAIR WITH HIM OVER THE DAMAGED AREA AND HAD ENTERED THE TUL ARSA AND THAT WE WERE ILLEGALLY FLYING OVER THE STORM DAMAGE AREA. I INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD CHKED NOTAMS PRIOR TO FLT AND NO NOTAMS WERE ON FILE. HE CLAIMED THAT NOTAMS WERE NOT NECESSARY. AS FAR AS THE NEAR MIDAIR, THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THIS POSSIBLY COULD HAVE HAPPENED. WE WERE IN CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE OF THE SIT, WITH MY PAX, ANOTHER PLT, WHO IS OUT OF BFR. AS TO ARSA INFRACTION, AS SOON AS WE NOTICED THE GEAR PROB WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED AWAY AND HEADED FROM THE ARPT, FIXED THE PROB THEN RETURNED. I THOUGHT THE GEAR PROB WOULD BE A QUICK FIX AND THIS ACTION WOULD BE UNNECESSARY, AND I SHOULD HAVE KEPT CLOSER WATCH ON THE PERSON FLYING THE AIRPLANE INSTEAD OF THINKING HE WOULD MAINTAIN ARSA REQUIREMENTS. AND WHEN HE OFFERED TROUBLESHOOTING IDEAS, I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM TO FLY THE AIRPLANE AND I WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROB.

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.