Pilot of a bell helicopter 206 landed in a national park for camping and reporter was cited by a par...

Attributes
ACN	480931
Time
Date	200007
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Jet Ranger/Kiowa/206
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	480931
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At XA00, helicopter departed auo, VFR with no filed flight plan. I was acting as PIC with 3 passenger. Our destination was little river canyon in north alabama for an overnight camping trip. I prechked the sectional for this area and found no restrs or sua. I also checked the commercial atlas and did not find any indication of any of this area being restr. After researching our intended destination, I determined that it was a secluded landing area that did not violate any regulations for landing. After landing and beginning to set up camp, park rangers arrived and informed us that we were inside the boundary of desoto national park. We were told that this area has only recently become a national park. The rangers inspected our camp site and cited us for possession of alcohol (beer) within a controled area. (As PIC, I did not consume any alcohol.) we were told that we could not remain in the canyon. We repacked our gear and I flew the helicopter and passenger to auburn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BELL HELI 206 LANDED IN A NATL PARK FOR CAMPING AND RPTR WAS CITED BY A PARK RANGER FOR POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL AND HE REQUESTED THEM TO LEAVE THE PARK.

Narrative: AT XA00, HELI DEPARTED AUO, VFR WITH NO FILED FLT PLAN. I WAS ACTING AS PIC WITH 3 PAX. OUR DEST WAS LITTLE RIVER CANYON IN NORTH ALABAMA FOR AN OVERNIGHT CAMPING TRIP. I PRECHKED THE SECTIONAL FOR THIS AREA AND FOUND NO RESTRS OR SUA. I ALSO CHKED THE COMMERCIAL ATLAS AND DID NOT FIND ANY INDICATION OF ANY OF THIS AREA BEING RESTR. AFTER RESEARCHING OUR INTENDED DEST, I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A SECLUDED LNDG AREA THAT DID NOT VIOLATE ANY REGS FOR LNDG. AFTER LNDG AND BEGINNING TO SET UP CAMP, PARK RANGERS ARRIVED AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE INSIDE THE BOUNDARY OF DESOTO NATL PARK. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS AREA HAS ONLY RECENTLY BECOME A NATL PARK. THE RANGERS INSPECTED OUR CAMP SITE AND CITED US FOR POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL (BEER) WITHIN A CTLED AREA. (AS PIC, I DID NOT CONSUME ANY ALCOHOL.) WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT REMAIN IN THE CANYON. WE REPACKED OUR GEAR AND I FLEW THE HELI AND PAX TO AUBURN.

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.

Pilot of a bell helicopter 206 landed in a national park for camping and reporter was cited by a park ranger for possession of alcohol and he requested them to leave the park.