Air ambulance pilot penetrates class B airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	292859
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hnl
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hnl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	292859
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On VFR flight from koa to hnl in air ambulance cessna 414A. Pressurization inoperative and MEL'ed. Weak front between islands was forecast to pass clear of oahu by arrival time. Did not wish to file IFR due to high (8000 ft) MDA which would affect patient condition. Proceeded VFR with flight following from ARTCC. On reaching leading edge of front, climbed to 4500 ft which was above layer. ATIS indicated hnl 2500 ft scattered, 4500 ft broken with improving conditions. Patient became unstabilized and medical attendants requested descent. Descended to 1000 ft and was able to remain VFR with minor course deviations. Center unable to maintain radar contact so squawked 1200. On approaching class B boundary, WX deteriorated (unforecasted) and began climb to maintain VFR minimums. Frequency was congested so began arc at class B boundary while maintaining VFR. Patient became unstable again. On contacting approach I noticed I had strayed into 18 DME before receiving squawk and clearance to descend IFR. Boundary at that sector is 20 DME. Broke out of trailing edge of cloud front within 5 mi and proceeded for uneventful visual approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR AMBULANCE PLT PENETRATES CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ON VFR FLT FROM KOA TO HNL IN AIR AMBULANCE CESSNA 414A. PRESSURIZATION INOP AND MEL'ED. WEAK FRONT BTWN ISLANDS WAS FORECAST TO PASS CLR OF OAHU BY ARR TIME. DID NOT WISH TO FILE IFR DUE TO HIGH (8000 FT) MDA WHICH WOULD AFFECT PATIENT CONDITION. PROCEEDED VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING FROM ARTCC. ON REACHING LEADING EDGE OF FRONT, CLBED TO 4500 FT WHICH WAS ABOVE LAYER. ATIS INDICATED HNL 2500 FT SCATTERED, 4500 FT BROKEN WITH IMPROVING CONDITIONS. PATIENT BECAME UNSTABILIZED AND MEDICAL ATTENDANTS REQUESTED DSCNT. DSNDED TO 1000 FT AND WAS ABLE TO REMAIN VFR WITH MINOR COURSE DEVS. CTR UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RADAR CONTACT SO SQUAWKED 1200. ON APCHING CLASS B BOUNDARY, WX DETERIORATED (UNFORECASTED) AND BEGAN CLB TO MAINTAIN VFR MINIMUMS. FREQ WAS CONGESTED SO BEGAN ARC AT CLASS B BOUNDARY WHILE MAINTAINING VFR. PATIENT BECAME UNSTABLE AGAIN. ON CONTACTING APCH I NOTICED I HAD STRAYED INTO 18 DME BEFORE RECEIVING SQUAWK AND CLRNC TO DSND IFR. BOUNDARY AT THAT SECTOR IS 20 DME. BROKE OUT OF TRAILING EDGE OF CLOUD FRONT WITHIN 5 MI AND PROCEEDED FOR UNEVENTFUL VISUAL APCH.

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.