Narrative:

On climb VFR on an EMS lifeguard mission from a hospital pad in downtown area, set altitude hold for 2000 ft and commenced communications with FSS radio to file an IFR flight plan to XXX. After several attempts were made on 122.2, FSS answered and the filing of the flight plan commenced. During this time I was 'heads down' the majority of the time and I did not notice that the altitude hold had kicked off and we had inadvertently climbed through the floor of the TCA. I immediately called departure and was told to phone the controller upon arrival at my destination, which I did. In the future, I will reserve the filing in the air for those sits where I do not have time to file through FSS by phone or through duat, etc. Had I done that in this instance, I would not have become preoccupied with talking to FSS to file the flight plan. This process detracted from the primary duty of controling the aircraft and communicating second. Under single pilot conditions such as this flight, it is too easy to rely too much on the autoplt to keep the flight out of trouble. I need to improve my scan of the flight instruments during all operations to ensure that I am maintaining situational awareness at all times. Also, I could have called departure first before calling FSS. That way when my altitude deviation started toward traffic, the controller would likely have noticed and brought it to my attention. This doesn't relieve me of the responsibility to control altitude, but it would have helped under these particular circumstances. Lastly, the aircraft was scheduled -- before this incident happened -- to have an altitude alerter installed during feb/94. That will also help the single pilot handle the load more efficiently.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN EMS HELI FLT INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CLB INTO THE TCA(B) AIRSPACE WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH ATC FOR AN IFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: ON CLB VFR ON AN EMS LIFEGUARD MISSION FROM A HOSPITAL PAD IN DOWNTOWN AREA, SET ALT HOLD FOR 2000 FT AND COMMENCED COMS WITH FSS RADIO TO FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN TO XXX. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE ON 122.2, FSS ANSWERED AND THE FILING OF THE FLT PLAN COMMENCED. DURING THIS TIME I WAS 'HEADS DOWN' THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME AND I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE ALT HOLD HAD KICKED OFF AND WE HAD INADVERTENTLY CLBED THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE TCA. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED DEP AND WAS TOLD TO PHONE THE CTLR UPON ARR AT MY DEST, WHICH I DID. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL RESERVE THE FILING IN THE AIR FOR THOSE SITS WHERE I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO FILE THROUGH FSS BY PHONE OR THROUGH DUAT, ETC. HAD I DONE THAT IN THIS INSTANCE, I WOULD NOT HAVE BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH TALKING TO FSS TO FILE THE FLT PLAN. THIS PROCESS DETRACTED FROM THE PRIMARY DUTY OF CTLING THE ACFT AND COMMUNICATING SECOND. UNDER SINGLE PLT CONDITIONS SUCH AS THIS FLT, IT IS TOO EASY TO RELY TOO MUCH ON THE AUTOPLT TO KEEP THE FLT OUT OF TROUBLE. I NEED TO IMPROVE MY SCAN OF THE FLT INSTS DURING ALL OPS TO ENSURE THAT I AM MAINTAINING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AT ALL TIMES. ALSO, I COULD HAVE CALLED DEP FIRST BEFORE CALLING FSS. THAT WAY WHEN MY ALTDEV STARTED TOWARD TFC, THE CTLR WOULD LIKELY HAVE NOTICED AND BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTN. THIS DOESN'T RELIEVE ME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CTL ALT, BUT IT WOULD HAVE HELPED UNDER THESE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. LASTLY, THE ACFT WAS SCHEDULED -- BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED -- TO HAVE AN ALT ALERTER INSTALLED DURING FEB/94. THAT WILL ALSO HELP THE SINGLE PLT HANDLE THE LOAD MORE EFFICIENTLY.

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.