Narrative:

I departed medical center, ZZZ in a helicopter, on an EMS flight with a flight nurse and medic. We landed at a hospital, and picked up a patient to be transferred to a hospital, in xyz. We left with a ceiling of 700 ft and visibility of 4 mi. Our heading to the hospital was 341 degrees and en route WX was 700 ft to 800 ft and 2-4 mi visibility. About 23 mi from xyz airport I monitored ATIS and found the ceiling and visibility at the airport to be 600 ft and 2 mi. I discussed getting an IFR clearance with the med crew, but decided I could make it VFR. I then contacted approach control and they had me squawk and identify 20 mi south of the airport at 1400 ft MSL. After another 2 mins I contacted the hospital and let them know we were about 5 mins out at 9 mi. I slowed the aircraft to 90 KTS and as I was slowing, medcom called for a position report. I told them I didn't have time right now and looked down to set my selector switch back to approach control. When I looked up again, all I saw was a cloud for 1 or 2 seconds. As I was getting ready to transmit for an IFR clearance, I broke out of the cloud to see a tower to my right front at approximately 500 ft to 1000 ft. I immediately turned 20 degrees to the left and momentarily heard the main rotor strike one of the guy wires. I felt a slight lateral vibration and continued a left descending turn into a 10 KT southerly wind. I found an open field and after verifying my rotor was still in the green, did a power-on approach to the field. As I was landing, I gave a mayday call to approach. After landing and finding all passenger safe, I executed an emergency shutdown. I then contacted an aircraft talking to approach and relayed our exact LORAN coordinates. After shutting down the aircraft, I unplugged the battery and within 20 mins help had arrived. Our patient was transported by ground ambulance to the hospital. I knew the WX was marginal when I departed, so I reviewed my options from our company operations manual. These include land immediately, divert to another location, turn around and go home, go IFR. In retrospect I know I waited too long to elect 1 of the 4 options. I should have either landed or asked for an IFR clearance and landed at the airport. I let my attention divert to making radio calls instead of flying the aircraft. In the future I will not hesitate to land or ask for a clearance much sooner in a deterioration situation.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WING AIR TAXI, AMBULANCE, HITS GUY WIRE MAKES FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: I DEPARTED MEDICAL CTR, ZZZ IN A HELI, ON AN EMS FLT WITH A FLT NURSE AND MEDIC. WE LANDED AT A HOSPITAL, AND PICKED UP A PATIENT TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A HOSPITAL, IN XYZ. WE LEFT WITH A CEILING OF 700 FT AND VISIBILITY OF 4 MI. OUR HDG TO THE HOSPITAL WAS 341 DEGS AND ENRTE WX WAS 700 FT TO 800 FT AND 2-4 MI VISIBILITY. ABOUT 23 MI FROM XYZ ARPT I MONITORED ATIS AND FOUND THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY AT THE ARPT TO BE 600 FT AND 2 MI. I DISCUSSED GETTING AN IFR CLRNC WITH THE MED CREW, BUT DECIDED I COULD MAKE IT VFR. I THEN CONTACTED APCH CTL AND THEY HAD ME SQUAWK AND IDENT 20 MI S OF THE ARPT AT 1400 FT MSL. AFTER ANOTHER 2 MINS I CONTACTED THE HOSPITAL AND LET THEM KNOW WE WERE ABOUT 5 MINS OUT AT 9 MI. I SLOWED THE ACFT TO 90 KTS AND AS I WAS SLOWING, MEDCOM CALLED FOR A POS RPT. I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW AND LOOKED DOWN TO SET MY SELECTOR SWITCH BACK TO APCH CTL. WHEN I LOOKED UP AGAIN, ALL I SAW WAS A CLOUD FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS. AS I WAS GETTING READY TO XMIT FOR AN IFR CLRNC, I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUD TO SEE A TWR TO MY R FRONT AT APPROX 500 FT TO 1000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED 20 DEGS TO THE L AND MOMENTARILY HEARD THE MAIN ROTOR STRIKE ONE OF THE GUY WIRES. I FELT A SLIGHT LATERAL VIBRATION AND CONTINUED A L DSNDING TURN INTO A 10 KT SOUTHERLY WIND. I FOUND AN OPEN FIELD AND AFTER VERIFYING MY ROTOR WAS STILL IN THE GREEN, DID A PWR-ON APCH TO THE FIELD. AS I WAS LNDG, I GAVE A MAYDAY CALL TO APCH. AFTER LNDG AND FINDING ALL PAX SAFE, I EXECUTED AN EMER SHUTDOWN. I THEN CONTACTED AN ACFT TALKING TO APCH AND RELAYED OUR EXACT LORAN COORDINATES. AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE ACFT, I UNPLUGGED THE BATTERY AND WITHIN 20 MINS HELP HAD ARRIVED. OUR PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED BY GND AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. I KNEW THE WX WAS MARGINAL WHEN I DEPARTED, SO I REVIEWED MY OPTIONS FROM OUR COMPANY OPS MANUAL. THESE INCLUDE LAND IMMEDIATELY, DIVERT TO ANOTHER LOCATION, TURN AROUND AND GO HOME, GO IFR. IN RETROSPECT I KNOW I WAITED TOO LONG TO ELECT 1 OF THE 4 OPTIONS. I SHOULD HAVE EITHER LANDED OR ASKED FOR AN IFR CLRNC AND LANDED AT THE ARPT. I LET MY ATTN DIVERT TO MAKING RADIO CALLS INSTEAD OF FLYING THE ACFT. IN THE FUTURE I WILL NOT HESITATE TO LAND OR ASK FOR A CLRNC MUCH SOONER IN A DETERIORATION SIT.

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.