HELI NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTION IN CLASS C AIRSPACE REFUSED INSTRUCTION TO DEPART AIRSPACE.

Date: 1995-01 · Aircraft: Helicopter

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

HELI NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTION IN CLASS C AIRSPACE REFUSED INSTRUCTION TO DEPART AIRSPACE.

Narrative

A LONG TIME FRIEND; PLT AND VIET NAM VET DIED OF CANCER. HIS FAMILY WANTED A HELI OVER HIS BURIAL. I HAPPILY AGREED. THE CEMETERY FUNERAL DIRECTOR AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY WAS AWARE OF THE FLT. USING NEWS TV CALL SIGN I DEPARTED RAL TO THE ESE TOWARDS MARCH AFB. THE CEMETERY IS APPROX 1 MI W OF MARCH. I CONTACTED MARCH TWR APPROX 5 MI WNW AND WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE; CLRED INTO THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. I ASKED PERMISSION TO HOLD; CLR OF RWY CTRLINES; UNTIL THE GRAVE SIDE SVC WAS AT AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR MY FLY OVER. I EXPLAINED TO THE TWR MY INTENTIONS AND WAS GIVEN PERMISSION FOR EVERYTHING I REQUESTED. TWR POINTED OUT A C141 MAKING GCA APCHS. I REPLIED THAT I HAD HIM IN SIGHT AND WAS MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. I HELD IN THIS AREA W OF THE 215 FREEWAY APPROX 4 MI N OF MARCH UNTIL APPROX XXXX. I ALWAYS RESPONDED TO TWR'S POINT OUT OF TFC -- NEVER ABOVE 500 FT AGL. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM MARCH TWR TO PROCEED SLOWLY DOWN THE FREEWAY TOWARDS THE CEMETERY SO THAT I COULD RECEIVE CUES VIA RADIO FROM THE GRAVE SITE AS TO WHEN I WAS NEEDED. DURING MY TRANSITION THE TWR POINTED OUT A C130 TAKING RWY. NO PROB SEEING THE ACFT. I WAS ALWAYS W OF THE 215 FREEWAY. AS I APCHED THE CEMETERY STILL UNABLE ON MY SECONDARY RADIO TO CONTACT THE GRAVE SITE; THE TWR; OUT OF NOWHERE SAYS: 'YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLR THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. BEFORE YOU CAN COVER A NEWS EVENT AT MARCH YOU HAVE TO HAVE PRIOR PERMISSION FROM THE COMMANDING OFFICER.' I REPLIED THAT ALTHOUGH I WAS NORMALLY A TELEVISION HELI; TODAY I HAD NO CAMERAMAN ON BOARD AND MY ONLY MISSION WAS TO PAY RESPECTS TO A COMRADE. AT THAT POINT I BELIEVE THE TWR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REPLY. THE GRAVE SITE DID CONTACT ME AND ASKED ME TO WAIT ANOTHER 5 MINS. I MOVED ABOUT 1 MI NW OF THE GRAVEYARD; LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF OPEN LAND; AND HELD AT 250 FT AGL. THE TWR AGAIN CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME TO LEAVE THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. I SAID NO. I WAS NOT CONFLICTING WITH TFC IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. I WAS NOT PRESENTING ANY PROB WHATSOEVER AND I WAS NOT TAKING PICTURES FOR A NEWS STORY. I WAS THERE ONLY BECAUSE I HAD PROMISED MY FRIEND'S FAMILY I WOULD BE. I AGAIN EXPLAINED THE WHOLE SIT. THE TWR AT NO TIME STATED THAT I WAS CONFLICTING WITH TFC; ONLY THAT IT WAS THEIR AIRSPACE AND I WAS A NEWS SHIP. I FLEW MY RESPECTS OVER THE GRAVE SITE AND CALLED TWR THAT I HAD COMPLETED AND WAS DEPARTING NW. TWR STATED THEY WERE FILING AGAINST ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE TWR ACTED IN A NON-PROFESSIONAL MANNER. THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS NO AIR TFC PROB BEING CREATED BY MY ACFT AND THE TWR ARBITRARILY TRIED TO PREVENT ME FROM COMPLETING MY ASSIGNED MISSION.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.