Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	287730
Time
Date	199411
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp tower : msp
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar controller : non radar
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 7
ASRS Report	287730
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

After working a spc aircraft on nov/xx/94 (departure) a microphone helicopter called requesting VFR departure to southeast. Traffic level was heavy due to backlog created by spc aircraft departure. Frequency was congested, I heard the helicopter say at the (garbled) reserve. Since all vip aircraft were located at the air force reserve on the north side of the field, I made the assumption that the helicopter meant the reserve ramp. We also have a normal reserve ramp that isn't normally used for aircraft operations. I gave instructions to the helicopter to depart VFR southeast to remain north of runway 11L as operations were being conducted on both runways 11L and 11R, thinking aircraft would be north of all operations. In reality, copter was behind a naval hangar between the parallel runways. While working aircraft on runways 11L and right and kept scanning the air force reserve ramp for the helicopter. Imagine my surprise as the copter rose above the naval hangar to my right between the parallel runways, I quickly gave instructions to the helicopter to avoid conflict. Although no separation was lost, this was a bad operation/assumption on my part and potentially a hazardous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPDEV.

Narrative: AFTER WORKING A SPC ACFT ON NOV/XX/94 (DEP) A MIC HELI CALLED REQUESTING VFR DEP TO SE. TFC LEVEL WAS HVY DUE TO BACKLOG CREATED BY SPC ACFT DEP. FREQ WAS CONGESTED, I HEARD THE HELI SAY AT THE (GARBLED) RESERVE. SINCE ALL VIP ACFT WERE LOCATED AT THE AIR FORCE RESERVE ON THE N SIDE OF THE FIELD, I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE HELI MEANT THE RESERVE RAMP. WE ALSO HAVE A NORMAL RESERVE RAMP THAT ISN'T NORMALLY USED FOR ACFT OPS. I GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE HELI TO DEPART VFR SE TO REMAIN N OF RWY 11L AS OPS WERE BEING CONDUCTED ON BOTH RWYS 11L AND 11R, THINKING ACFT WOULD BE N OF ALL OPS. IN REALITY, COPTER WAS BEHIND A NAVAL HANGAR BTWN THE PARALLEL RWYS. WHILE WORKING ACFT ON RWYS 11L AND R AND KEPT SCANNING THE AIR FORCE RESERVE RAMP FOR THE HELI. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE AS THE COPTER ROSE ABOVE THE NAVAL HANGAR TO MY R BTWN THE PARALLEL RWYS, I QUICKLY GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE HELI TO AVOID CONFLICT. ALTHOUGH NO SEPARATION WAS LOST, THIS WAS A BAD OP/ASSUMPTION ON MY PART AND POTENTIALLY A HAZARDOUS SIT.

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.