Narrative:

I was returning to my hospital, flying at 1300 ft MSL (ground elevation is about 650 ft MSL). Approximately 3 NM south of the airport, approach control called me with traffic. I never heard the call because I am also required to monitor my company frequency at all times. The second time he called I heard him. He gave me traffic at 12 O'clock and 1 mi at 1000 ft MSL, then he told me to climb to 1500 ft MSL immediately. I did and there was no other occurrence. In fact I don't think there was another aircraft in my vicinity, I think he might have picked up a radio controled plane because when I got to 1500 ft MSL he said traffic was no longer a problem. The reason I didn't hear the first call was that my hospital's second aircraft was out on a flight and our dispatch was talking to them, that noise plus my medical crew was talking in the back cabin. All that combined made me miss the first call. Now, I insist on a sterile cockpit when in the class C, B or D airspace. I also instruct dispatch that I will be turning them off while I transition any class B, C, or D airspace and when I will re-establish radio contact with them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI MISSES TFC CALL DUE TO NON STERILE COCKPIT AND DISTR OF COMPANY FREQ ON LINE.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO MY HOSPITAL, FLYING AT 1300 FT MSL (GND ELEVATION IS ABOUT 650 FT MSL). APPROX 3 NM S OF THE ARPT, APCH CTL CALLED ME WITH TFC. I NEVER HEARD THE CALL BECAUSE I AM ALSO REQUIRED TO MONITOR MY COMPANY FREQ AT ALL TIMES. THE SECOND TIME HE CALLED I HEARD HIM. HE GAVE ME TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI AT 1000 FT MSL, THEN HE TOLD ME TO CLB TO 1500 FT MSL IMMEDIATELY. I DID AND THERE WAS NO OTHER OCCURRENCE. IN FACT I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN MY VICINITY, I THINK HE MIGHT HAVE PICKED UP A RADIO CTLED PLANE BECAUSE WHEN I GOT TO 1500 FT MSL HE SAID TFC WAS NO LONGER A PROB. THE REASON I DIDN'T HEAR THE FIRST CALL WAS THAT MY HOSPITAL'S SECOND ACFT WAS OUT ON A FLT AND OUR DISPATCH WAS TALKING TO THEM, THAT NOISE PLUS MY MEDICAL CREW WAS TALKING IN THE BACK CABIN. ALL THAT COMBINED MADE ME MISS THE FIRST CALL. NOW, I INSIST ON A STERILE COCKPIT WHEN IN THE CLASS C, B OR D AIRSPACE. I ALSO INSTRUCT DISPATCH THAT I WILL BE TURNING THEM OFF WHILE I TRANSITION ANY CLASS B, C, OR D AIRSPACE AND WHEN I WILL RE-ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WITH THEM.

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.