Narrative:

I was called for an EMS flight to XXX, and checked WX and forecast. Present WX was 25 overcast, visibility 8 mi in light rain. I went to XXX and departed XXX. Approximately 30 mi out noticed haze and mist forming below me and requested latest ZZZ WX from center. Was told 25 overcast, visibility 8. I therefore continued. When it became evident that ZZZ was no longer VFR (I was at 2500', and the deck became solid below me), I requested an IFR clearance for an approach to runway 22 ZZZ from center (both aircraft and crew are 135 current for IFR). As there was another aircraft inbound for that approach at ZZZ, center advised they could not grant an IFR clearance for approach. I then requested IFR clearance to abc and hold until clearance for the approach could be granted. Unknown to me, my copilot had changed the #1 VOR radio to the ILS frequency, so I was following a VOR needle to nowhere. Prior to receiving the holding clearance the other aircraft cancelled IFR, so we then asked to cancel the holding clearance and get an approach clearance. After some confusion on both parts, center understood what we wanted and granted the clearance. I was unable to contact the previous aircraft that had just landed to find out what the ceiling was, but had heard him say he had ground contact at 1500' (500' AGL). Since I had a patient on board,I requested vectors to final from center, which they gave me, and the approach was completed successfully. The biggest safety problem I see is lack of accurate WX forecasting from a facility with WX reporting. This is the third time I have been inbound with a patient and have been caught by unforecast WX conditions--not just a little off, but all the way from VFR to low IFR. The last time this happened, they reported clear and 10 when in fact they were 300 and 1/2, and went 0-0 within an hour. Unexpected IFR or IMC can cause confusion and possible even an accident with an experience crew, must less and inexperienced pilot in a VFR small aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELICOPTER EXPERIENCES TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED FOR AN EMS FLT TO XXX, AND CHKED WX AND FORECAST. PRESENT WX WAS 25 OVCST, VISIBILITY 8 MI IN LIGHT RAIN. I WENT TO XXX AND DEPARTED XXX. APPROX 30 MI OUT NOTICED HAZE AND MIST FORMING BELOW ME AND REQUESTED LATEST ZZZ WX FROM CTR. WAS TOLD 25 OVCST, VISIBILITY 8. I THEREFORE CONTINUED. WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT ZZZ WAS NO LONGER VFR (I WAS AT 2500', AND THE DECK BECAME SOLID BELOW ME), I REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC FOR AN APCH TO RWY 22 ZZZ FROM CTR (BOTH ACFT AND CREW ARE 135 CURRENT FOR IFR). AS THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT INBND FOR THAT APCH AT ZZZ, CTR ADVISED THEY COULD NOT GRANT AN IFR CLRNC FOR APCH. I THEN REQUESTED IFR CLRNC TO ABC AND HOLD UNTIL CLRNC FOR THE APCH COULD BE GRANTED. UNKNOWN TO ME, MY COPLT HAD CHANGED THE #1 VOR RADIO TO THE ILS FREQ, SO I WAS FOLLOWING A VOR NEEDLE TO NOWHERE. PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE HOLDING CLRNC THE OTHER ACFT CANCELLED IFR, SO WE THEN ASKED TO CANCEL THE HOLDING CLRNC AND GET AN APCH CLRNC. AFTER SOME CONFUSION ON BOTH PARTS, CTR UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WANTED AND GRANTED THE CLRNC. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE PREVIOUS ACFT THAT HAD JUST LANDED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CEILING WAS, BUT HAD HEARD HIM SAY HE HAD GND CONTACT AT 1500' (500' AGL). SINCE I HAD A PATIENT ON BOARD,I REQUESTED VECTORS TO FINAL FROM CTR, WHICH THEY GAVE ME, AND THE APCH WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY. THE BIGGEST SAFETY PROB I SEE IS LACK OF ACCURATE WX FORECASTING FROM A FAC WITH WX RPTING. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE BEEN INBND WITH A PATIENT AND HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY UNFORECAST WX CONDITIONS--NOT JUST A LITTLE OFF, BUT ALL THE WAY FROM VFR TO LOW IFR. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THEY RPTED CLR AND 10 WHEN IN FACT THEY WERE 300 AND 1/2, AND WENT 0-0 WITHIN AN HR. UNEXPECTED IFR OR IMC CAN CAUSE CONFUSION AND POSSIBLE EVEN AN ACCIDENT WITH AN EXPERIENCE CREW, MUST LESS AND INEXPERIENCED PLT IN A VFR SMA.

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.