An EMS atx helicopter pilot flew the wrong approach to his hospital for 10 months.

Attributes
ACN	254277
Time
Date	199310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1440 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	254277
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Instrument approach. Copter VOR/DME to ZZZ. Original approach, dated oct/20/89 336 degrees. Received late dec/92 an FAA form 8260-7, dated dec/18/92, indicating that a new approach corridor, plus some other changes, was to go in effect (new approach: 331 degrees). My employer informed me initially to use the new approach, but this was later changed back to the old, awaiting a requested departure procedure change. 2 days ago (oct/mon/93), I was informed by my employer that the 336 degrees had become invalid upon the arrival of the FAA form 8260-7, and that I have been flying an invalid approach for the last 10 months. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the approach that the reporter refers to is a private approach directly to a hospital off of the xyz VOR. The FAA form 8260-7 is a form that shows approach procedures for private facilities. This approach is not in the NOAA or commercial charts, but is available from the hospital to those who might need it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMS ATX HELI PLT FLEW THE WRONG APCH TO HIS HOSPITAL FOR 10 MONTHS.

Narrative: INST APCH. COPTER VOR/DME TO ZZZ. ORIGINAL APCH, DATED OCT/20/89 336 DEGS. RECEIVED LATE DEC/92 AN FAA FORM 8260-7, DATED DEC/18/92, INDICATING THAT A NEW APCH CORRIDOR, PLUS SOME OTHER CHANGES, WAS TO GO IN EFFECT (NEW APCH: 331 DEGS). MY EMPLOYER INFORMED ME INITIALLY TO USE THE NEW APCH, BUT THIS WAS LATER CHANGED BACK TO THE OLD, AWAITING A REQUESTED DEP PROC CHANGE. 2 DAYS AGO (OCT/MON/93), I WAS INFORMED BY MY EMPLOYER THAT THE 336 DEGS HAD BECOME INVALID UPON THE ARR OF THE FAA FORM 8260-7, AND THAT I HAVE BEEN FLYING AN INVALID APCH FOR THE LAST 10 MONTHS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE APCH THAT THE RPTR REFERS TO IS A PVT APCH DIRECTLY TO A HOSPITAL OFF OF THE XYZ VOR. THE FAA FORM 8260-7 IS A FORM THAT SHOWS APCH PROCS FOR PVT FACILITIES. THIS APCH IS NOT IN THE NOAA OR COMMERCIAL CHARTS, BUT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THOSE WHO MIGHT NEED IT.

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.