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EMS helicopter dispatched to an accident scene made successful descent and landing through scattered stratus. Takeoff was VFR in IMC to on top.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 523440 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200108 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 523440 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Dispatched to ZZZ for motor vehicle accident. Had some low haze and widely scattered stratus at ZZZ1, my departure point, but WX was 5000 ft and 10 mi visibility en route. Arrived at the scene and did high reconnaissance circled to north for landing to southeast. On approach 1 mi northeast of scene, encountered some stratus, but was well clear of scene. We were on the ground for about 15 mins. My own observation from the ground looked good for departure. Upon takeoff at about 400 ft AGL I suddenly entered some stratus. I lost all visual reference. Executed a maximum performance climb. Broke out on top at 1500 ft. Continued to 3500 ft and turned on course for ZZZ1. The stratus beneath me had thickened to a solid overcast. ZZZ1 however was good VFR. Continued on to ZZZ1 without further incident. The forecast was for temporary IFR conditions, but the metars weren't supporting that. I felt I could do this short flight without a problem. I'll be more conservative next time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: EMS HELI DISPATCHED TO AN ACCIDENT SCENE MADE SUCCESSFUL DSCNT AND LNDG THROUGH SCATTERED STRATUS. TKOF WAS VFR IN IMC TO ON TOP.
Narrative: DISPATCHED TO ZZZ FOR MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. HAD SOME LOW HAZE AND WIDELY SCATTERED STRATUS AT ZZZ1, MY DEP POINT, BUT WX WAS 5000 FT AND 10 MI VISIBILITY ENRTE. ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND DID HIGH RECONNAISSANCE CIRCLED TO N FOR LNDG TO SE. ON APCH 1 MI NE OF SCENE, ENCOUNTERED SOME STRATUS, BUT WAS WELL CLR OF SCENE. WE WERE ON THE GND FOR ABOUT 15 MINS. MY OWN OBSERVATION FROM THE GND LOOKED GOOD FOR DEP. UPON TKOF AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL I SUDDENLY ENTERED SOME STRATUS. I LOST ALL VISUAL REF. EXECUTED A MAX PERFORMANCE CLB. BROKE OUT ON TOP AT 1500 FT. CONTINUED TO 3500 FT AND TURNED ON COURSE FOR ZZZ1. THE STRATUS BENEATH ME HAD THICKENED TO A SOLID OVCST. ZZZ1 HOWEVER WAS GOOD VFR. CONTINUED ON TO ZZZ1 WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FORECAST WAS FOR TEMPORARY IFR CONDITIONS, BUT THE METARS WEREN'T SUPPORTING THAT. I FELT I COULD DO THIS SHORT FLT WITHOUT A PROB. I'LL BE MORE CONSERVATIVE NEXT TIME.
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.