Narrative:

On may 2001, at XC00 hours EST, while en route to a motor vehicle accident, I contacted ZZZ milfac tower to request a clearance through their class D airspace. Even though I identified myself as a 'lifeguard helicopter crew X,' and was squawking the appropriate code, I was declined permission to enter. The controller was extremely busy handling two F16's, a C141, and a PA-28. Since our MVA was inside their class D airspace I again contacted the tower to request a clearance to enter, again I was declined. On the third attempt I was told I could cross over the runways if I climbed to 3400 ft MSL. This I accepted and climbed immediately. While crossing, two F16's departed the southwest runways. Both aircraft were advised there was a 2800-foot ceiling. F-16 #1 passed within 2000 ft of us in a vertical climb. F16 #2 appeared to roll nearly inverted to avoid us. At no time prior to this did I hear the controller advise the F16's or the C141 that there was a lifeguard helicopter above the runway. This is only the first part of our exciting flight. After getting the flight nurse's attention with the jets so close, I ask them to contact ZZZ base and have them call to inform them of our intent. Only after this call did a tower supervisor take over communications with me and inform the other aircraft of our position. The landing, for the most part, was uneventful with the exception of the ever present F16's coming from our 4 O'clock position. The departure was equally uneventful. However while crossing over the runway, again I had to roll sharply to avoid a potential conflict with the departing C141. This aircraft was given the 'option' on arrival and we had no idea of their intentions. On the same note crew Y had a similar experience with being denied a clearance into ZZZ class D airspace while attempting to go to the same scene. One further question I have is did the tower controller clear my climb into XXX class C airspace? In closing I realize that most controllers cooperate with us and accommodate most every request we have made and this was, I'm sure, the exception. But denying a clearance to two lifeguard helicopters on a mission simply to accommodate touch and go airplanes in VFR conditions is unacceptable. Further the split radio frequencys, VHF for us and UHF for them only contributed to the confusion, congestion, and difficulty of the mission.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL TWR CTLR DENIED CLRNC FOR EMER CIVILIAN ACFT ON EMER MISSION.

Narrative: ON MAY 2001, AT XC00 HRS EST, WHILE ENRTE TO A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT, I CONTACTED ZZZ MILFAC TWR TO REQUEST A CLRNC THROUGH THEIR CLASS D AIRSPACE. EVEN THOUGH I IDENTIFIED MYSELF AS A 'LIFEGUARD HELICOPTER CREW X,' AND WAS SQUAWKING THE APPROPRIATE CODE, I WAS DECLINED PERMISSION TO ENTER. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY HANDLING TWO F16'S, A C141, AND A PA-28. SINCE OUR MVA WAS INSIDE THEIR CLASS D AIRSPACE I AGAIN CONTACTED THE TWR TO REQUEST A CLRNC TO ENTER, AGAIN I WAS DECLINED. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT I WAS TOLD I COULD CROSS OVER THE RWYS IF I CLBED TO 3400 FT MSL. THIS I ACCEPTED AND CLBED IMMEDIATELY. WHILE XING, TWO F16'S DEPARTED THE SOUTHWEST RWYS. BOTH ACFT WERE ADVISED THERE WAS A 2800-FOOT CEILING. F-16 #1 PASSED WITHIN 2000 FT OF US IN A VERTICAL CLB. F16 #2 APPEARED TO ROLL NEARLY INVERTED TO AVOID US. AT NO TIME PRIOR TO THIS DID I HEAR THE CTLR ADVISE THE F16'S OR THE C141 THAT THERE WAS A LIFEGUARD HELICOPTER ABOVE THE RWY. THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST PART OF OUR EXCITING FLT. AFTER GETTING THE FLT NURSE'S ATTENTION WITH THE JETS SO CLOSE, I ASK THEM TO CONTACT ZZZ BASE AND HAVE THEM CALL TO INFORM THEM OF OUR INTENT. ONLY AFTER THIS CALL DID A TWR SUPERVISOR TAKE OVER COMS WITH ME AND INFORM THE OTHER ACFT OF OUR POS. THE LNDG, FOR THE MOST PART, WAS UNEVENTFUL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE EVER PRESENT F16'S COMING FROM OUR 4 O'CLOCK POS. THE DEPARTURE WAS EQUALLY UNEVENTFUL. HOWEVER WHILE CROSSING OVER THE RWY, AGAIN I HAD TO ROLL SHARPLY TO AVOID A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE DEPARTING C141. THIS ACFT WAS GIVEN THE 'OPTION' ON ARR AND WE HAD NO IDEA OF THEIR INTENTIONS. ON THE SAME NOTE CREW Y HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH BEING DENIED A CLRNC INTO ZZZ CLASS D AIRSPACE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GO TO THE SAME SCENE. ONE FURTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS DID THE TWR CTLR CLR MY CLB INTO XXX CLASS C AIRSPACE? IN CLOSING I REALIZE THAT MOST CTLRS COOPERATE WITH US AND ACCOMMODATE MOST EVERY REQUEST WE HAVE MADE AND THIS WAS, I'M SURE, THE EXCEPTION. BUT DENYING A CLRNC TO TWO LIFEGUARD HELICOPTERS ON A MISSION SIMPLY TO ACCOMMODATE TOUCH AND GO AIRPLANES IN VFR CONDITIONS IS UNACCEPTABLE. FURTHER THE SPLIT RADIO FREQS, VHF FOR US AND UHF FOR THEM ONLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION, CONGESTION, AND DIFFICULTY OF THE MISSION.

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.