Narrative:

I was flying a photography/news gathering flight. There was an oil spill into a river at approximately 6.5 DME southwest of bos airport. We went directly to this scene from a previous story. We then videotaped the oil spill and did a live report on tv. I then told the station that we were leaving for beverly airport for fuel. Next, I called boston skyways (bos tower for bos class B VFR helicopter and fixed wing aircraft) for clearance to go to beverly airport. Boston skyways then said that it was approved, 'but I'll need you at 500 ft before passing under the runway 33 approach course.' I acknowledged the restr and started northeast toward graves light and a descent out of 1000 ft for 500 ft. As soon as I acknowledged the restr, the tv station called me on the FM radio and asked what the turnaround time would be to refuel and go back to the oil spill. I said approximately 45 mins to 1 hour. As I continued to descend and fly northeast, the controller asked me if I had a B737 at my 2 O'clock position in sight. I said no. I leveled the helicopter at 500 ft approximately 1 1/2 mi prior to crossing the runway 33 approach course and continued toward graves. Just east of the runway 33 course, the controller asked again if I saw the B737 to the northeast at 1600 ft. I said yes, and would maintain visual separation. When well east of the runway 33 approach course, the controller said I could climb to 1000 ft en route to beverly airport. Here is my dilemma: after landing at beverly airport, I began to think about the verbiage the controller used. I am 90% certain that he said he needed me at 500 ft prior or before crossing the runway 33 approach course. However, after thinking about it, I have some question that he may have said he needed me at 500 ft while 'en route' for passing under the runway 33 approach course -- which, if that were true, I should have descended over my location to 500 ft and then proceeded on course. The bottom line is, although the controller never said anything that indicated there was concern or a problem and the flight was fine, I should have been able to recall exactly what he wanted and after landing, I could not. I believe I made the mistake in not giving 100% attention to ATC instructions. When flying a multi-task job, ie, engine, EMS, power lines, lift work, etc, there can be many distrs from the customer while you are flying that have little or nothing to do with the immediate job of flying the aircraft. In the future, I will lock out the FM radios to the tv station while receiving a clearance or ATC instructions. It is imperative that ATC take priority. I am going back to the basics -- first the aircraft and ATC, after all is set, then I'll answer any request the news station has after I turn them back on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF B206 DESCRIBES COMS SITUATION WITH BOSTON SKYWAYS (LCL CTLR).

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A PHOTOGRAPHY/NEWS GATHERING FLT. THERE WAS AN OIL SPILL INTO A RIVER AT APPROX 6.5 DME SW OF BOS ARPT. WE WENT DIRECTLY TO THIS SCENE FROM A PREVIOUS STORY. WE THEN VIDEOTAPED THE OIL SPILL AND DID A LIVE RPT ON TV. I THEN TOLD THE STATION THAT WE WERE LEAVING FOR BEVERLY ARPT FOR FUEL. NEXT, I CALLED BOSTON SKYWAYS (BOS TWR FOR BOS CLASS B VFR HELI AND FIXED WING ACFT) FOR CLRNC TO GO TO BEVERLY ARPT. BOSTON SKYWAYS THEN SAID THAT IT WAS APPROVED, 'BUT I'LL NEED YOU AT 500 FT BEFORE PASSING UNDER THE RWY 33 APCH COURSE.' I ACKNOWLEDGED THE RESTR AND STARTED NE TOWARD GRAVES LIGHT AND A DSCNT OUT OF 1000 FT FOR 500 FT. AS SOON AS I ACKNOWLEDGED THE RESTR, THE TV STATION CALLED ME ON THE FM RADIO AND ASKED WHAT THE TURNAROUND TIME WOULD BE TO REFUEL AND GO BACK TO THE OIL SPILL. I SAID APPROX 45 MINS TO 1 HR. AS I CONTINUED TO DSND AND FLY NE, THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I HAD A B737 AT MY 2 O'CLOCK POS IN SIGHT. I SAID NO. I LEVELED THE HELI AT 500 FT APPROX 1 1/2 MI PRIOR TO XING THE RWY 33 APCH COURSE AND CONTINUED TOWARD GRAVES. JUST E OF THE RWY 33 COURSE, THE CTLR ASKED AGAIN IF I SAW THE B737 TO THE NE AT 1600 FT. I SAID YES, AND WOULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. WHEN WELL E OF THE RWY 33 APCH COURSE, THE CTLR SAID I COULD CLB TO 1000 FT ENRTE TO BEVERLY ARPT. HERE IS MY DILEMMA: AFTER LNDG AT BEVERLY ARPT, I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT THE VERBIAGE THE CTLR USED. I AM 90% CERTAIN THAT HE SAID HE NEEDED ME AT 500 FT PRIOR OR BEFORE XING THE RWY 33 APCH COURSE. HOWEVER, AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, I HAVE SOME QUESTION THAT HE MAY HAVE SAID HE NEEDED ME AT 500 FT WHILE 'ENRTE' FOR PASSING UNDER THE RWY 33 APCH COURSE -- WHICH, IF THAT WERE TRUE, I SHOULD HAVE DSNDED OVER MY LOCATION TO 500 FT AND THEN PROCEEDED ON COURSE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS, ALTHOUGH THE CTLR NEVER SAID ANYTHING THAT INDICATED THERE WAS CONCERN OR A PROB AND THE FLT WAS FINE, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECALL EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTED AND AFTER LNDG, I COULD NOT. I BELIEVE I MADE THE MISTAKE IN NOT GIVING 100% ATTN TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN FLYING A MULTI-TASK JOB, IE, ENG, EMS, PWR LINES, LIFT WORK, ETC, THERE CAN BE MANY DISTRS FROM THE CUSTOMER WHILE YOU ARE FLYING THAT HAVE LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO WITH THE IMMEDIATE JOB OF FLYING THE ACFT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL LOCK OUT THE FM RADIOS TO THE TV STATION WHILE RECEIVING A CLRNC OR ATC INSTRUCTIONS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ATC TAKE PRIORITY. I AM GOING BACK TO THE BASICS -- FIRST THE ACFT AND ATC, AFTER ALL IS SET, THEN I'LL ANSWER ANY REQUEST THE NEWS STATION HAS AFTER I TURN THEM BACK ON.

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.