Helicopter EMS pilot encounters WX. Must divert again to hospital site.

Attributes
ACN	269792
Time
Date	199404
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	269792
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

; I departed a hospital city D, about X:58 for a pr visit to city C. Duat WX brief indicated flight could be conducted VFR free of ice. Departed the pr site about Y:58 and arrived at airport F for fuel at Z:22. While starting for departure was contacted by my dispatcher asking if I could divert to city east for a patient pickup. After reviewing the copy of duat I had in the cockpit, I elected that I could complete the flight. I departed city east at west:24 for an approximately 35 min flight to hospital a. 15 NM nne of hospital a, I saw visibility decreasing to my front and I begun to pickup very li rain. I had monitored airport G ATIS throughout the flight. They reported 19 ovc 10 plus. Soon after I encountered the rain, I encountered (unforecast) freezing rain that began to obscure the windscreen. I immediately diverted towards airport G. Halfway there, tower reported the visibility was decreasing with falling rain. I then diverted to the B hospital about 4 mins away. Patient was admitted to B hospital. Arrangement that were made for ground transport of the patient were not utilized. WX forecast for X:00 local at ZZZ was 15 overcast 0714g24 ocn/8 overcast 2R-1P-south-F. Yes, the conditions arrived early and I should have updated my WX brief. Lesson well learned!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI EMS PLT ENCOUNTERS WX. MUST DIVERT AGAIN TO HOSPITAL SITE.

Narrative: ; I DEPARTED A HOSPITAL CITY D, ABOUT X:58 FOR A PR VISIT TO CITY C. DUAT WX BRIEF INDICATED FLT COULD BE CONDUCTED VFR FREE OF ICE. DEPARTED THE PR SITE ABOUT Y:58 AND ARRIVED AT ARPT F FOR FUEL AT Z:22. WHILE STARTING FOR DEP WAS CONTACTED BY MY DISPATCHER ASKING IF I COULD DIVERT TO CITY E FOR A PATIENT PICKUP. AFTER REVIEWING THE COPY OF DUAT I HAD IN THE COCKPIT, I ELECTED THAT I COULD COMPLETE THE FLT. I DEPARTED CITY E AT W:24 FOR AN APPROX 35 MIN FLT TO HOSPITAL A. 15 NM NNE OF HOSPITAL A, I SAW VISIBILITY DECREASING TO MY FRONT AND I BEGUN TO PICKUP VERY LI RAIN. I HAD MONITORED ARPT G ATIS THROUGHOUT THE FLT. THEY RPTED 19 OVC 10 PLUS. SOON AFTER I ENCOUNTERED THE RAIN, I ENCOUNTERED (UNFORECAST) FREEZING RAIN THAT BEGAN TO OBSCURE THE WINDSCREEN. I IMMEDIATELY DIVERTED TOWARDS ARPT G. HALFWAY THERE, TWR RPTED THE VISIBILITY WAS DECREASING WITH FALLING RAIN. I THEN DIVERTED TO THE B HOSPITAL ABOUT 4 MINS AWAY. PATIENT WAS ADMITTED TO B HOSPITAL. ARRANGEMENT THAT WERE MADE FOR GND TRANSPORT OF THE PATIENT WERE NOT UTILIZED. WX FORECAST FOR X:00 LCL AT ZZZ WAS 15 OVCST 0714G24 OCN/8 OVCST 2R-1P-S-F. YES, THE CONDITIONS ARRIVED EARLY AND I SHOULD HAVE UPDATED MY WX BRIEF. LESSON WELL LEARNED!

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.