Narrative:

I plted a helicopter to drop off water; food; and camping supplies to hikers. The planned area for the supplies to be dropped off was just outside a wilderness area. After speaking with our coordinator over the phone; she explained to me that hikers were in desperate need of supplies; especially water. They were unprepared for the hike and were dependent on the supplies to make it through the night. One of the hikers had given her the coordinates of their current position. However; I was unable to plot those coordinates on a sectional chart while in-flight. Using the GPS on board of the helicopter; I entered their coordinates. I knew that I was close to a wilderness area; but I was unsure if I was within its boundaries. I determined this situation to be an emergency; due to the fact the hikers were without water and would be endangered. After speaking to the coordinator on the phone; the hikers informed her that they were scared; very thirsty and cold. I located an area that was suitable for landing and removed the supplies from the helicopter. I spoke with one of the hikers on the phone and gave him the coordinates of the supplies. The hikers were no more than 0.25 mi from the supplies and they were equipped with a GPS and should have been able to locate the supplies. It was getting dark and the fuel was running low; therefore; I had no other choice but to leave the area and return to base. Under part 91; a pilot is allowed to deviate from any regulation to meet the extent of the emergency. In this case; I felt that those hikers were in danger and that their lives were in jeopardy. I felt the most prudent thing to do was land and unload the supplies nearest the hikers in an attempt to prevent loss of life.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EUROCOPTER AS355 PLT WAS CONCERNED WITH POSSIBLE UNAUTH LNDG IN WILDERNESS AREA.

Narrative: I PLTED A HELI TO DROP OFF WATER; FOOD; AND CAMPING SUPPLIES TO HIKERS. THE PLANNED AREA FOR THE SUPPLIES TO BE DROPPED OFF WAS JUST OUTSIDE A WILDERNESS AREA. AFTER SPEAKING WITH OUR COORDINATOR OVER THE PHONE; SHE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HIKERS WERE IN DESPERATE NEED OF SUPPLIES; ESPECIALLY WATER. THEY WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE HIKE AND WERE DEPENDENT ON THE SUPPLIES TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT. ONE OF THE HIKERS HAD GIVEN HER THE COORDINATES OF THEIR CURRENT POS. HOWEVER; I WAS UNABLE TO PLOT THOSE COORDINATES ON A SECTIONAL CHART WHILE INFLT. USING THE GPS ON BOARD OF THE HELI; I ENTERED THEIR COORDINATES. I KNEW THAT I WAS CLOSE TO A WILDERNESS AREA; BUT I WAS UNSURE IF I WAS WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES. I DETERMINED THIS SITUATION TO BE AN EMER; DUE TO THE FACT THE HIKERS WERE WITHOUT WATER AND WOULD BE ENDANGERED. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE COORDINATOR ON THE PHONE; THE HIKERS INFORMED HER THAT THEY WERE SCARED; VERY THIRSTY AND COLD. I LOCATED AN AREA THAT WAS SUITABLE FOR LNDG AND REMOVED THE SUPPLIES FROM THE HELI. I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE HIKERS ON THE PHONE AND GAVE HIM THE COORDINATES OF THE SUPPLIES. THE HIKERS WERE NO MORE THAN 0.25 MI FROM THE SUPPLIES AND THEY WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GPS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE SUPPLIES. IT WAS GETTING DARK AND THE FUEL WAS RUNNING LOW; THEREFORE; I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE THE AREA AND RETURN TO BASE. UNDER PART 91; A PLT IS ALLOWED TO DEVIATE FROM ANY REG TO MEET THE EXTENT OF THE EMER. IN THIS CASE; I FELT THAT THOSE HIKERS WERE IN DANGER AND THAT THEIR LIVES WERE IN JEOPARDY. I FELT THE MOST PRUDENT THING TO DO WAS LAND AND UNLOAD THE SUPPLIES NEAREST THE HIKERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.