Helicopter on a VFR flight was forced into IFR conditions by a line of thunderstorms.

Attributes
ACN	707913
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy.tracon
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 141 flight time total : 19279 flight time type : 7973
ASRS Report	707913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

4 passenger and crew of 2 fully IFR capable. No fuel or WX available at departure. Flight was forced south of course due to a line of unforecasted thunderstorms extending from mobile; al; to 30 NM south of gulfport and growing to the southwest from there (gulfport ATIS). We proceeded southwest at 2000 ft trying to get around these storms until we found a space between 2 cells; the radar showed the other side was only 6 mi away; we descended to 500 ft and could see some 4-5 mi through this hole. I elected to try getting through this hole as we had the chandler islands for good landmark and the visibility was well above VFR. After proceeding into this hole for 6 mi the rain started to increase; and we tried to turn around the hole had closed in behind us; so we started a climb out to MSA 1500 ft for the area on the original heading. We still had vertical visibility but below VMC; at 1200 ft we flew out of the rain with WX now 2000 ft and 10 mi we contacted new orleans approach and continued on to msy VFR. We had intended to declare an emergency/inadvertent IFR at 1500 ft with new orleans approach; but once we were VFR we just requested VFR advisory and clearance into the class B airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI ON A VFR FLT WAS FORCED INTO IFR CONDITIONS BY A LINE OF TSTMS.

Narrative: 4 PAX AND CREW OF 2 FULLY IFR CAPABLE. NO FUEL OR WX AVAILABLE AT DEP. FLT WAS FORCED S OF COURSE DUE TO A LINE OF UNFORECASTED TSTMS EXTENDING FROM MOBILE; AL; TO 30 NM S OF GULFPORT AND GROWING TO THE SW FROM THERE (GULFPORT ATIS). WE PROCEEDED SW AT 2000 FT TRYING TO GET AROUND THESE STORMS UNTIL WE FOUND A SPACE BTWN 2 CELLS; THE RADAR SHOWED THE OTHER SIDE WAS ONLY 6 MI AWAY; WE DSNDED TO 500 FT AND COULD SEE SOME 4-5 MI THROUGH THIS HOLE. I ELECTED TO TRY GETTING THROUGH THIS HOLE AS WE HAD THE CHANDLER ISLANDS FOR GOOD LANDMARK AND THE VISIBILITY WAS WELL ABOVE VFR. AFTER PROCEEDING INTO THIS HOLE FOR 6 MI THE RAIN STARTED TO INCREASE; AND WE TRIED TO TURN AROUND THE HOLE HAD CLOSED IN BEHIND US; SO WE STARTED A CLBOUT TO MSA 1500 FT FOR THE AREA ON THE ORIGINAL HDG. WE STILL HAD VERT VISIBILITY BUT BELOW VMC; AT 1200 FT WE FLEW OUT OF THE RAIN WITH WX NOW 2000 FT AND 10 MI WE CONTACTED NEW ORLEANS APCH AND CONTINUED ON TO MSY VFR. WE HAD INTENDED TO DECLARE AN EMER/INADVERTENT IFR AT 1500 FT WITH NEW ORLEANS APCH; BUT ONCE WE WERE VFR WE JUST REQUESTED VFR ADVISORY AND CLRNC INTO THE CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.