Helicopter pilot had current charts aboard but was unable to contact tower because of a recent frequency change. He entered the class D airspace in WX below VFR minimums and without clearance and proceeded to land without clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	358153
Time
Date	199701
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : flg
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : flg
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6920 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	358153
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : landing without clearance inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During ferry flight from alb to flg, encountered marginal VFR conditions close to flg airport. Aircraft equipped with only 1 VHF and 1 transponder. Had current sectional chart which indicated flg tower on 120.0. Attempted numerous calls to contact tower and local unicom 122.95. Unable to hear ATIS broadcast. Due to fuel situation, unable to return to next closest airport. Elected to continue to flg airport in heavy falling snow and limited fuel on board. Landed safely at flg. Tower came up on 120.0 and told me of new frequency change 1 month prior. Tower only came up after they saw me land. At time of landing 2 snow plows were attempting to clear runway. No airplanes were flying into or out of flg. After landing I was advised to call airport manager to explain why I had landed with no radio contact with the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT HAD CURRENT CHARTS ABOARD BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT TWR BECAUSE OF A RECENT FREQ CHANGE. HE ENTERED THE CLASS D AIRSPACE IN WX BELOW VFR MINIMUMS AND WITHOUT CLRNC AND PROCEEDED TO LAND WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING FERRY FLT FROM ALB TO FLG, ENCOUNTERED MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS CLOSE TO FLG ARPT. ACFT EQUIPPED WITH ONLY 1 VHF AND 1 XPONDER. HAD CURRENT SECTIONAL CHART WHICH INDICATED FLG TWR ON 120.0. ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS CALLS TO CONTACT TWR AND LCL UNICOM 122.95. UNABLE TO HEAR ATIS BROADCAST. DUE TO FUEL SIT, UNABLE TO RETURN TO NEXT CLOSEST ARPT. ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO FLG ARPT IN HVY FALLING SNOW AND LIMITED FUEL ON BOARD. LANDED SAFELY AT FLG. TWR CAME UP ON 120.0 AND TOLD ME OF NEW FREQ CHANGE 1 MONTH PRIOR. TWR ONLY CAME UP AFTER THEY SAW ME LAND. AT TIME OF LNDG 2 SNOW PLOWS WERE ATTEMPTING TO CLR RWY. NO AIRPLANES WERE FLYING INTO OR OUT OF FLG. AFTER LNDG I WAS ADVISED TO CALL ARPT MGR TO EXPLAIN WHY I HAD LANDED WITH NO RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TWR.

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.