Narrative:

I went iimc due to a few factors: first; I checked WX on the website metar java tool and radar. The area that I was flying into had only 2 reporting points; neither were close to my first intended landing spot. They did report WX of 1600 ft ceiling and 9 mi visibility. My landing spot's AWOS-3 reported 4400 ft ceiling and 9 mi visibility via radio frequency. Secondly; I was unfamiliar with the mountain area. With the WX that I had; I thought that I was safe to fly this flight and very much legal with my company minimums. As I approached and flew in the mountain area; the WX appeared legal. With next to no ground lights and a horizon that became hard to see; I pressed on until no ground lights and horizon were seeable. At this point; I executed a turn to VMC conditions and went iimc. I lost my spatial orientation and encountered heavy turbulence during my turn before encountering IMC. This led to the aircraft becoming hard to control and very erratic flight. While trying to regain control; I did not have the time or ability to squawk 7700 or contact ATC. My crew did contact our company communications and declare an emergency. The ELT activated in-flight for unknown reasons. I suspect my maneuvering set it off. Once control was regained; we were VMC. I reset the ELT and tried to go to an airport that was reported to be VFR. We landed in a field due to the WX decreasing on us. We landed softly and safely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELICOPTER PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED IN IMC AND TURBULENCE. THE ACFT WAS LANDED OFF ARPT IN VMC.

Narrative: I WENT IIMC DUE TO A FEW FACTORS: FIRST; I CHKED WX ON THE WEBSITE METAR JAVA TOOL AND RADAR. THE AREA THAT I WAS FLYING INTO HAD ONLY 2 RPTING POINTS; NEITHER WERE CLOSE TO MY FIRST INTENDED LNDG SPOT. THEY DID RPT WX OF 1600 FT CEILING AND 9 MI VISIBILITY. MY LNDG SPOT'S AWOS-3 RPTED 4400 FT CEILING AND 9 MI VISIBILITY VIA RADIO FREQ. SECONDLY; I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE MOUNTAIN AREA. WITH THE WX THAT I HAD; I THOUGHT THAT I WAS SAFE TO FLY THIS FLT AND VERY MUCH LEGAL WITH MY COMPANY MINIMUMS. AS I APCHED AND FLEW IN THE MOUNTAIN AREA; THE WX APPEARED LEGAL. WITH NEXT TO NO GND LIGHTS AND A HORIZON THAT BECAME HARD TO SEE; I PRESSED ON UNTIL NO GND LIGHTS AND HORIZON WERE SEEABLE. AT THIS POINT; I EXECUTED A TURN TO VMC CONDITIONS AND WENT IIMC. I LOST MY SPATIAL ORIENTATION AND ENCOUNTERED HVY TURB DURING MY TURN BEFORE ENCOUNTERING IMC. THIS LED TO THE ACFT BECOMING HARD TO CTL AND VERY ERRATIC FLT. WHILE TRYING TO REGAIN CTL; I DID NOT HAVE THE TIME OR ABILITY TO SQUAWK 7700 OR CONTACT ATC. MY CREW DID CONTACT OUR COMPANY COMS AND DECLARE AN EMER. THE ELT ACTIVATED INFLT FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. I SUSPECT MY MANEUVERING SET IT OFF. ONCE CTL WAS REGAINED; WE WERE VMC. I RESET THE ELT AND TRIED TO GO TO AN ARPT THAT WAS RPTED TO BE VFR. WE LANDED IN A FIELD DUE TO THE WX DECREASING ON US. WE LANDED SOFTLY AND SAFELY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.