VFR helicopter pilot encounters IMC, which results in momentary unusual attitudes.

Attributes
ACN	438498
Time
Date	199903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	438498
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to check location pertaining to surveillance, fog began to develop. Turned around to return to airport and went IMC. Did not go to instruments immediately, which resulted in undesirable attitudes. Regained control of aircraft and returned to VFR approximately 90 seconds later. Landed safely at field.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR HELI PLT ENCOUNTERS IMC, WHICH RESULTS IN MOMENTARY UNUSUAL ATTITUDES.

Narrative: ENRTE TO CHK LOCATION PERTAINING TO SURVEILLANCE, FOG BEGAN TO DEVELOP. TURNED AROUND TO RETURN TO ARPT AND WENT IMC. DID NOT GO TO INSTS IMMEDIATELY, WHICH RESULTED IN UNDESIRABLE ATTITUDES. REGAINED CTL OF ACFT AND RETURNED TO VFR APPROX 90 SECONDS LATER. LANDED SAFELY AT FIELD.

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.