BH41 EMS helicopter enters IMC without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	320486
Time
Date	199511
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Bell Helicopter 412
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	320486
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While attempting to receive an IFR clearance while airborne, IMC conditions were encountered at approximately 200 ft AGL, due to terrain and proximity to ground a climb was started and ATC contacted. Center advised to maintain VFR due to IFR departure off of ZZZ. When informed of inadvertent IMC, center helped me to relay to departing aircraft at ZZZ to hold on airport till I was past. Pilot was very cooperative. With the help of center and the pilot on the ground the EMS mission continued without delay or problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BH41 EMS HELI ENTERS IMC WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECEIVE AN IFR CLRNC WHILE AIRBORNE, IMC CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED AT APPROX 200 FT AGL, DUE TO TERRAIN AND PROX TO GND A CLB WAS STARTED AND ATC CONTACTED. CTR ADVISED TO MAINTAIN VFR DUE TO IFR DEP OFF OF ZZZ. WHEN INFORMED OF INADVERTENT IMC, CTR HELPED ME TO RELAY TO DEPARTING ACFT AT ZZZ TO HOLD ON ARPT TILL I WAS PAST. PLT WAS VERY COOPERATIVE. WITH THE HELP OF CTR AND THE PLT ON THE GND THE EMS MISSION CONTINUED WITHOUT DELAY OR PROBS.

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.