Reporter error admitted in unauthorized penetration of airspace. Rotary winged traffic in a night op...

Attributes
ACN	267020
Time
Date	199403
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	267020
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
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:

On mar/1994, we departed hospital at PM43 in night VMC conditions. We were transporting an infant child with head trauma to medical center in ZZZ. Because of the patient's medical condition, I elected to not fly higher than 1500 ft to avoid entering the lower level of the outer ring of class C airspace. In the initial part of the flight I was relaying information between hospital's communication center and medical center's emergency department while the crew was attending to the infant. At approximately 00, I contacted ZZZ approach control and was identified at 4.5 mi from airport. My intention was to go around the west side of the class C inner circle. However, I misjudged the distance to the primary airport. In the future, I resolve to contact ATC sooner to provide a greater margin of error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ERROR ADMITTED IN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. ROTARY WINGED TFC IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: ON MAR/1994, WE DEPARTED HOSPITAL AT PM43 IN NIGHT VMC CONDITIONS. WE WERE TRANSPORTING AN INFANT CHILD WITH HEAD TRAUMA TO MEDICAL CTR IN ZZZ. BECAUSE OF THE PATIENT'S MEDICAL CONDITION, I ELECTED TO NOT FLY HIGHER THAN 1500 FT TO AVOID ENTERING THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE OUTER RING OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. IN THE INITIAL PART OF THE FLT I WAS RELAYING INFO BTWN HOSPITAL'S COM CTR AND MEDICAL CTR'S EMER DEPT WHILE THE CREW WAS ATTENDING TO THE INFANT. AT APPROX 00, I CONTACTED ZZZ APCH CTL AND WAS IDENTIFIED AT 4.5 MI FROM ARPT. MY INTENTION WAS TO GAR THE W SIDE OF THE CLASS C INNER CIRCLE. HOWEVER, I MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE TO THE PRIMARY ARPT. IN THE FUTURE, I RESOLVE TO CONTACT ATC SOONER TO PROVIDE A GREATER MARGIN OF ERROR.

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.

Reporter error admitted in unauthorized penetration of airspace. Rotary winged traffic in a night operation.