Atx small transport helicopter on an EMS flight encountered deteriorating WX enroute to ZZZ and afte...

Attributes
ACN	170763
Time
Date	199102
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 12200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz tower : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	170763
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Received request for medical flight from ZZZ to pick up at xyz (approximately 90 NM east) and return patient to ZZZ. Received WX briefing from abc. Told to expect scattered clouds at 13000' and wind aloft at 9000', 290/25. On return leg from xyz experienced winds in the 40-50 KT range at 8500'. Closer to ZZZ we ran into snow showers as low as 9500'. At def we were not able to maintain visibility reference to the ground as we attempted to cross the mountains following the interstate through the mountain pass. We went back to def and climbed in VFR conditions to 10000' where we contacted ZZZ approach. Requested IFR clearance back to ZZZ. Told to climb to 12200' and turn westbound. When established westbound ground speed on LORAN and VOR DME showed 42 KTS. If we stayed at altitude fuel would be close. Requested lower altitude. Controller said we would have to hold the altitude for another 10 mi. A couple of moments later I again requested lower altitude. Controller said we could not get lower altitude unless we declared an emergency. I declared an emergency and was cleared down to 10500'. As soon as we left altitude ground speed picked up to about 70 KTS. Shortly thereafter we were cleared down to 8500'. At about 9000' we broke out VFR. We cancelled IFR and landed at the hospital west/O event. The planned 1 hour, 10 min flight took 1 hour, 41 mins.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT HELICOPTER ON AN EMS FLT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX ENROUTE TO ZZZ AND AFTER CLIMBING TO MAINTAIN VFR THE WINDS ALOFT WERE TOO STRONG TO CONTINUE AT THE HIGHER ALT. LOWER ALT WAS REQUESTED AND GRANTED AFTER THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.

Narrative: RECEIVED REQUEST FOR MEDICAL FLT FROM ZZZ TO PICK UP AT XYZ (APPROX 90 NM E) AND RETURN PATIENT TO ZZZ. RECEIVED WX BRIEFING FROM ABC. TOLD TO EXPECT SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 13000' AND WIND ALOFT AT 9000', 290/25. ON RETURN LEG FROM XYZ EXPERIENCED WINDS IN THE 40-50 KT RANGE AT 8500'. CLOSER TO ZZZ WE RAN INTO SNOW SHOWERS AS LOW AS 9500'. AT DEF WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN VIS REF TO THE GND AS WE ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS FOLLOWING THE INTERSTATE THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN PASS. WE WENT BACK TO DEF AND CLBED IN VFR CONDITIONS TO 10000' WHERE WE CONTACTED ZZZ APCH. REQUESTED IFR CLRNC BACK TO ZZZ. TOLD TO CLB TO 12200' AND TURN WBND. WHEN ESTABLISHED WBND GND SPD ON LORAN AND VOR DME SHOWED 42 KTS. IF WE STAYED AT ALT FUEL WOULD BE CLOSE. REQUESTED LOWER ALT. CTLR SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE ALT FOR ANOTHER 10 MI. A COUPLE OF MOMENTS LATER I AGAIN REQUESTED LOWER ALT. CTLR SAID WE COULD NOT GET LOWER ALT UNLESS WE DECLARED AN EMER. I DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS CLRED DOWN TO 10500'. AS SOON AS WE LEFT ALT GND SPD PICKED UP TO ABOUT 70 KTS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 8500'. AT ABOUT 9000' WE BROKE OUT VFR. WE CANCELLED IFR AND LANDED AT THE HOSPITAL W/O EVENT. THE PLANNED 1 HR, 10 MIN FLT TOOK 1 HR, 41 MINS.

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.

Atx small transport helicopter on an EMS flight encountered deteriorating WX enroute to ZZZ and after climbing to maintain VFR the winds aloft were too strong to continue at the higher altitude. Lower altitude was requested and granted after the pilot declared an emergency.