2003-12 · NASA ASRS report 603799
SINGLE PLT OF BK117C HELO ON A LIFEGUARD FLT PENETRATES AN ADIZ WHEN HE FAILS TO PROGRAM HIS NAV EQUIP FOR THE APPROPRIATE DEST.
I WAS THE DUTY PLT FOR AN EMS HELICOPTER SERVICE. I WAS DISPATCHED FOR A PATIENT PICK UP AT AN AREA HOSPITAL AROUND XA00. A QUICK MAP RECON SHOWED A VFR ROUTE IN AND OUT AND THE FLT WAS ACCEPTED AND LAUNCHED. THE FIRST LEG WAS UNEVENTFUL TO ZZZ1; THE SECOND LEG TO ZZZ2 IS WHERE THINGS WENT WRONG. WHEN I DIALED IN ZZZ2; WE HAD JUST TURNED INTO THE SETTING SUN AND I MIS-DIALED ZZZ3 INSTEAD. I KNEW THE HDG AND DISTANCE WERE INCORRECT SO I PICKED UP A 250-260 DEG HDG TO STAY CLEAR OF THE ADIZ AND BEGAN TO TROUBLESHOOT MY ERROR. THINGS BECAME ADDITIONALLY COMPLICATED BY A LOSS OF COMMUNICATION WITH MY DISPATCH. BETWEEN THOSE PROBS; I THOUGHT I HAD A GOOD GROUND TRACK AND HAD IDENTIFIED A LANDMARK THAT SHOWED ME ON COURSE AND CLEAR. WHEN I GOT THE PROPER ID ENTERED; IT SHOWED ME JUST N OF ZZZ. I KNEW THAT I WAS INSIDE THE 30 MILE ARC AND AT THAT POINT; I COULD SEE MY DESTINATION WHICH I KNEW WAS CLEAR SO I CONTINUED IN AND LANDED. AS I TOUCHED DOWN; A BLACKHAWK CIRCLED OVERHEAD. I CAME UP ON 121.5 AND TALKED WITH THE AIR MARSHALL AND TOLD HIM WHO I WAS AND WHAT I WAS DOING. I ASKED IF I COULD REPOSITION TO ZZZ4 TO REFUEL AND HE SAID YES. HE THEN CAME BACK AND ASKED FOR MY TAIL NUMBER; SAID HE KNEW WHO WE WERE AND WHAT WE WERE DOING; SAID GOODBYE AND LEFT THE AREA. I RETURNED TO THE HOSPITAL AND PICKED UP MY CREW AND PATIENT. THERE WAS A MESSAGE TO CALL ATC ON A LAND LINE SO I DID AND GAVE THEM MY NAME; TAIL #; ETC; AND RETURNED VIA ZZZ2. I DID TRY APCH ON THE WAY OUT BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. IN MY HASTE TO PROVIDE A QUICK RESPONSE AND TRANSPORT A SICK PATIENT EXPEDITIOUSLY; I DID NOT PLAN PREFLT AS WELL AS I SHOULD HAVE AND I DIDN'T USE ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO ME WHEN I HAD PROBS. WITH HINDSIGHT; I REALIZE THAT APCH CTL COULD HAVE HELPED ME IMMENSELY; AND IF I HAD THE SAME FLT TOMORROW I WOULD HANDLE IT VERY DIFFERENTLY AND USE OF ALL THOSE RESOURCES.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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