Narrative:

During aerial survey (part 91) pilot, trying to follow rapidly changing instructions from passenger as to which direction they wanted to go, was asked to turn east toward sac. At 5 mi out I contacted tower to ask for transition through sac class D. As tower began reply with aircraft call sign, passenger began talking and drowned out tower instructions. Pilot then cut off passenger mikes and called tower for repetition of instructions. Tower asked for aircraft position again, that aircraft hadn't been cleared in. Pilot began tight, low level holding orbit at that time 3.5-4 mi from sac till both tower and aircraft confirmed communications and aircraft instructions. Passenger were kept silent throughout short period of confusion. No other aircraft in vicinity. Pilot misunderstood that tower hadn't cleared aircraft into class D. Human performance considerations: in future will leave VHF audio on for passenger so they know to keep quiet. Corrective actions: pilot complied with all instructions from tower and took own initiative to avoid causing unsafe situation for tower. Think that for tower extent of problem was that for a moment it didn't know exact location of this aircraft. Identify and location of aircraft was quickly established by both parties. Passenger were briefed ahead of time not to talk while pilot was in communications with ATC. On one hand, helicopter pilots flying low and slow try to avoid adding to communications load of ATC if we can stay out of their airspace. Normally on cross country flight pilot would normally call up tower 10 mi out. Today's flight involved rapid and numerous course changes which would have added to tower's burden if we'd checked in before it was absolutely necessary. Appreciate tower's patience. Controller was professional and competent.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AERIAL SURVEY HELI PLT ENTERS THE FRINGE OF THE CLASS D OF SAC PRIOR TO RECEIVING CLRNC DUE TO PAX NOISE LEVELS IN COCKPIT NEAR SAC, CA.

Narrative: DURING AERIAL SURVEY (PART 91) PLT, TRYING TO FOLLOW RAPIDLY CHANGING INSTRUCTIONS FROM PAX AS TO WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANTED TO GO, WAS ASKED TO TURN E TOWARD SAC. AT 5 MI OUT I CONTACTED TWR TO ASK FOR TRANSITION THROUGH SAC CLASS D. AS TWR BEGAN REPLY WITH ACFT CALL SIGN, PAX BEGAN TALKING AND DROWNED OUT TWR INSTRUCTIONS. PLT THEN CUT OFF PAX MIKES AND CALLED TWR FOR REPETITION OF INSTRUCTIONS. TWR ASKED FOR ACFT POS AGAIN, THAT ACFT HADN'T BEEN CLRED IN. PLT BEGAN TIGHT, LOW LEVEL HOLDING ORBIT AT THAT TIME 3.5-4 MI FROM SAC TILL BOTH TWR AND ACFT CONFIRMED COMS AND ACFT INSTRUCTIONS. PAX WERE KEPT SILENT THROUGHOUT SHORT PERIOD OF CONFUSION. NO OTHER ACFT IN VICINITY. PLT MISUNDERSTOOD THAT TWR HADN'T CLRED ACFT INTO CLASS D. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: IN FUTURE WILL LEAVE VHF AUDIO ON FOR PAX SO THEY KNOW TO KEEP QUIET. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: PLT COMPLIED WITH ALL INSTRUCTIONS FROM TWR AND TOOK OWN INITIATIVE TO AVOID CAUSING UNSAFE SIT FOR TWR. THINK THAT FOR TWR EXTENT OF PROB WAS THAT FOR A MOMENT IT DIDN'T KNOW EXACT LOCATION OF THIS ACFT. IDENT AND LOCATION OF ACFT WAS QUICKLY ESTABLISHED BY BOTH PARTIES. PAX WERE BRIEFED AHEAD OF TIME NOT TO TALK WHILE PLT WAS IN COMS WITH ATC. ON ONE HAND, HELI PLTS FLYING LOW AND SLOW TRY TO AVOID ADDING TO COMS LOAD OF ATC IF WE CAN STAY OUT OF THEIR AIRSPACE. NORMALLY ON XCOUNTRY FLT PLT WOULD NORMALLY CALL UP TWR 10 MI OUT. TODAY'S FLT INVOLVED RAPID AND NUMEROUS COURSE CHANGES WHICH WOULD HAVE ADDED TO TWR'S BURDEN IF WE'D CHKED IN BEFORE IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. APPRECIATE TWR'S PATIENCE. CTLR WAS PROFESSIONAL AND COMPETENT.

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.