A helicopter pilot is unable to maintain VFR and declares an emergency until VFR and lands at gls.

Attributes
ACN	583531
Time
Date	200306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gls.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : on vectors enroute : on vectors enroute other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 73 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 1375
ASRS Report	583531
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

At approximately XA00 local, I landed on an offshore platform and shut down. There were isolated rain showers in the area, but the winds were light and I observed no lightning. After about 1 hour, the showers were getting closer, more prevalent, and the winds increasing. I advised the customer we should go. At XB35 local, I took off toward galveston. About 5 mi into the flight, I ran into rain showers. I tried to return to the platform but couldn't, nor could I see the beach (which was visible when I untied the aircraft). I tried to make another platform a fellow pilot had told me was in the clear, but again ran into rain and reduced visibility. Eventually I was unable to maintain VFR and surface reference with the water. I went on instruments, climbed to 1000 ft MSL, contacted houston approach, declared an emergency and asked for vectors to somewhere to get me down. Galveston WX was 9 NM with few scattered at 1100 ft. I descended to 800 ft and flew the assigned heading (010 degrees) toward galveston. At about 5 mi out, I saw the beach and continued to galveston. I remained with approach until I had the field in sight, then closed with approach on landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI PLT IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AND DECLARES AN EMER UNTIL VFR AND LANDS AT GLS.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 LCL, I LANDED ON AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM AND SHUT DOWN. THERE WERE ISOLATED RAIN SHOWERS IN THE AREA, BUT THE WINDS WERE LIGHT AND I OBSERVED NO LIGHTNING. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR, THE SHOWERS WERE GETTING CLOSER, MORE PREVALENT, AND THE WINDS INCREASING. I ADVISED THE CUSTOMER WE SHOULD GO. AT XB35 LCL, I TOOK OFF TOWARD GALVESTON. ABOUT 5 MI INTO THE FLT, I RAN INTO RAIN SHOWERS. I TRIED TO RETURN TO THE PLATFORM BUT COULDN'T, NOR COULD I SEE THE BEACH (WHICH WAS VISIBLE WHEN I UNTIED THE ACFT). I TRIED TO MAKE ANOTHER PLATFORM A FELLOW PLT HAD TOLD ME WAS IN THE CLR, BUT AGAIN RAN INTO RAIN AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. EVENTUALLY I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VFR AND SURFACE REF WITH THE WATER. I WENT ON INSTS, CLBED TO 1000 FT MSL, CONTACTED HOUSTON APCH, DECLARED AN EMER AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO SOMEWHERE TO GET ME DOWN. GALVESTON WX WAS 9 NM WITH FEW SCATTERED AT 1100 FT. I DSNDED TO 800 FT AND FLEW THE ASSIGNED HEADING (010 DEGS) TOWARD GALVESTON. AT ABOUT 5 MI OUT, I SAW THE BEACH AND CONTINUED TO GALVESTON. I REMAINED WITH APCH UNTIL I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, THEN CLOSED WITH APCH ON LNDG.

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.