Rotary winged traffic on an EMS call goes IMC in VFR flight in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	169746
Time
Date	199102
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	169746
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Dispatches on EMS flight. Checked WX and it was marginal, but forward visibility was reported as 3-5 mi by 2 reporting stations, 11 mi east and 12 mi southwest. Took off and on climb-out I lost all ground references at 400'. Advised dispatch to cancel mission and made 180 degree turn to return; however, the airport was not visible. I immediately climbed and contacted XXX approach facility and advised inadvertent IFR, position and request. They assisted me immediately. I made an approach back to my departure airport. While approaching missed approach point, the crew and I observed the runway lights and beacon. I turned to prepare for landing but lost sight of airport. I did, however, see a light in a yard of a home I recognized at 1/2 mi from the airport and landed in a large farm field behind the home. Although the ship was not IFR certified (it was fully equipped), this situation had been previously addressed and rehearsed. An INS rating, planning for inadvertent WX and current approach plates kept a bad situation from ending in disaster.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TRAFFIC ON AN EMS CALL GOES IMC IN VFR FLT IN A NIGHT OPERATION.

Narrative: DISPATCHES ON EMS FLT. CHKED WX AND IT WAS MARGINAL, BUT FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS RPTED AS 3-5 MI BY 2 RPTING STATIONS, 11 MI E AND 12 MI SW. TOOK OFF AND ON CLB-OUT I LOST ALL GND REFS AT 400'. ADVISED DISPATCH TO CANCEL MISSION AND MADE 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN; HOWEVER, THE ARPT WAS NOT VISIBLE. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED AND CONTACTED XXX APCH FAC AND ADVISED INADVERTENT IFR, POS AND REQUEST. THEY ASSISTED ME IMMEDIATELY. I MADE AN APCH BACK TO MY DEP ARPT. WHILE APCHING MISSED APCH POINT, THE CREW AND I OBSERVED THE RWY LIGHTS AND BEACON. I TURNED TO PREPARE FOR LNDG BUT LOST SIGHT OF ARPT. I DID, HOWEVER, SEE A LIGHT IN A YARD OF A HOME I RECOGNIZED AT 1/2 MI FROM THE ARPT AND LANDED IN A LARGE FARM FIELD BEHIND THE HOME. ALTHOUGH THE SHIP WAS NOT IFR CERTIFIED (IT WAS FULLY EQUIPPED), THIS SITUATION HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED AND REHEARSED. AN INS RATING, PLANNING FOR INADVERTENT WX AND CURRENT APCH PLATES KEPT A BAD SITUATION FROM ENDING IN DISASTER.

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.