Narrative:

At approximately 15 NM to the northwest of airport while cruising at 1500 ft AGL, I noticed scattered clouds ahead and started a slow descent which I had announced to the crew. At approximately 11 mi out, my 2 person paramedic crew sitting in the back were concerned abut the WX and the fact that they couldn't see the city lights. At 9 mi to the northwest, I had reached 400 ft AGL which I set in the radar altimeter to alert me not to descend below that. At that time I had lost visual reference to the ground, and initiated a climb and contacted approach. I informed them that I was inadvertent IMC and requested vectors. I entered 7700 in the transponder to squawk emergency. Once idented I was given another squawk code, an IFR clearance, heading, and a climb clearance to 4000 ft. As I was climbing through 3600 ft on a heading, visual contact with the ground was regained. I turned on the runway lights using the CTAF frequency. Approach asked if I wanted to cancel IFR. I canceled IFR and made a safe VMC landing. The good crew coordination and the help from approach made this a safe outcome.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AS350 HELI INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC ON A VFR FLT PLAN AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE CREW OBTAINED AN IFR CLRNC TO PROCEED TO AN ARPT WITH VFR CONDITIONS.

Narrative: AT APPROX 15 NM TO THE NW OF ARPT WHILE CRUISING AT 1500 FT AGL, I NOTICED SCATTERED CLOUDS AHEAD AND STARTED A SLOW DSCNT WHICH I HAD ANNOUNCED TO THE CREW. AT APPROX 11 MI OUT, MY 2 PERSON PARAMEDIC CREW SITTING IN THE BACK WERE CONCERNED ABUT THE WX AND THE FACT THAT THEY COULDN'T SEE THE CITY LIGHTS. AT 9 MI TO THE NW, I HAD REACHED 400 FT AGL WHICH I SET IN THE RADAR ALTIMETER TO ALERT ME NOT TO DSND BELOW THAT. AT THAT TIME I HAD LOST VISUAL REF TO THE GND, AND INITIATED A CLB AND CONTACTED APCH. I INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS INADVERTENT IMC AND REQUESTED VECTORS. I ENTERED 7700 IN THE XPONDER TO SQUAWK EMER. ONCE IDENTED I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER SQUAWK CODE, AN IFR CLRNC, HDG, AND A CLB CLRNC TO 4000 FT. AS I WAS CLBING THROUGH 3600 FT ON A HDG, VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND WAS REGAINED. I TURNED ON THE RWY LIGHTS USING THE CTAF FREQ. APCH ASKED IF I WANTED TO CANCEL IFR. I CANCELED IFR AND MADE A SAFE VMC LNDG. THE GOOD CREW COORD AND THE HELP FROM APCH MADE THIS A SAFE OUTCOME.

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.