EMS helicopter entered TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	242558
Time
Date	199305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	242558
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were returning from abc on a neonatal flight. We were radar flight following with abc. We were handed off to xyz and then handed off to ZZZ approach control. I made the usual call after tuning in our discrete transponder code, i.e., direction altitude and destination. There was a discussion going on in the aircraft because at a hospital meeting we were told the hospital was going with a different vender and the pilots, mechanics and communications would be out of a job! In hindsight I can't honestly say if ZZZ answered or not. We (pilots) have a very good relationship with the controllers. When I called approach to inform them we were landing, the controller stated, 'I never cleared you in the TCA.' I was taken aback by this. After I landed our communications called me and said some irate person called and said if you didn't call him you would lose your license. I had just read an article that said 'never' call back a controller, so I did not. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that usually handoff from xyz to ZZZ implies clearance into TCA. Hospital base is within TCA. Company was called back by supervisor, ATC, and questioned on incident. Explanation of incident was adequate and no further action pursued. Reporter states that there are usually very good relations with approach and tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI ENTERED TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE RETURNING FROM ABC ON A NEONATAL FLT. WE WERE RADAR FLT FOLLOWING WITH ABC. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO XYZ AND THEN HANDED OFF TO ZZZ APCH CTL. I MADE THE USUAL CALL AFTER TUNING IN OUR DISCRETE XPONDER CODE, I.E., DIRECTION ALT AND DEST. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION GOING ON IN THE ACFT BECAUSE AT A HOSPITAL MEETING WE WERE TOLD THE HOSPITAL WAS GOING WITH A DIFFERENT VENDER AND THE PLTS, MECHS AND COMS WOULD BE OUT OF A JOB! IN HINDSIGHT I CAN'T HONESTLY SAY IF ZZZ ANSWERED OR NOT. WE (PLTS) HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CTLRS. WHEN I CALLED APCH TO INFORM THEM WE WERE LNDG, THE CTLR STATED, 'I NEVER CLRED YOU IN THE TCA.' I WAS TAKEN ABACK BY THIS. AFTER I LANDED OUR COMS CALLED ME AND SAID SOME IRATE PERSON CALLED AND SAID IF YOU DIDN'T CALL HIM YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR LICENSE. I HAD JUST READ AN ARTICLE THAT SAID 'NEVER' CALL BACK A CTLR, SO I DID NOT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT USUALLY HDOF FROM XYZ TO ZZZ IMPLIES CLRNC INTO TCA. HOSPITAL BASE IS WITHIN TCA. COMPANY WAS CALLED BACK BY SUPVR, ATC, AND QUESTIONED ON INCIDENT. EXPLANATION OF INCIDENT WAS ADEQUATE AND NO FURTHER ACTION PURSUED. RPTR STATES THAT THERE ARE USUALLY VERY GOOD RELATIONS WITH APCH AND TWR.

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.