Pilot of military helicopter with low fuel light requested SVFR when ceiling went to 300 ft.

Attributes
ACN	194290
Time
Date	199111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cys
State Reference	WY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cys
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	194290
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was planned from buckley ANG base to scottsbluff, northeast. WX forecast indicated a front was moving south but that scottsbluff would be VFR until XA00 local. Near kimball, northeast, the cloud layer was much lower than 1000 ft as forecasted and in the interest of safety I diverted to cheyenne which was the nearest location for jet fuel. Approximately 5 mi east, I radioed cys tower for landing. Tower said to stand by for SVFR clearance as the ceiling had dropped to 300 ft overcast. At that time, I had a low fuel caution light and was flying at 200 ft AGL. I stated that I was in a critical fuel situation and wanted to land straight ahead. Tower again stated to stand by for SVFR clearance and I again restated my critical fuel situation. Tower then cleared me to land. Due to the WX conditions and my fuel status I was unable to wait for a clearance which may have caused potential problems if there was more traffic. I did feel stress at the time and was very concerned for my civilian passenger. The helicopter is not equipped for IMC conditions and I did not have an operable attitude indicator or VOR. Flying at such a low altitude with fog, I was very worried about flying into wires or a tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF MIL HELI WITH LOW FUEL LIGHT REQUESTED SVFR WHEN CEILING WENT TO 300 FT.

Narrative: FLT WAS PLANNED FROM BUCKLEY ANG BASE TO SCOTTSBLUFF, NE. WX FORECAST INDICATED A FRONT WAS MOVING S BUT THAT SCOTTSBLUFF WOULD BE VFR UNTIL XA00 LCL. NEAR KIMBALL, NE, THE CLOUD LAYER WAS MUCH LOWER THAN 1000 FT AS FORECASTED AND IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY I DIVERTED TO CHEYENNE WHICH WAS THE NEAREST LOCATION FOR JET FUEL. APPROX 5 MI E, I RADIOED CYS TWR FOR LNDG. TWR SAID TO STAND BY FOR SVFR CLRNC AS THE CEILING HAD DROPPED TO 300 FT OVCST. AT THAT TIME, I HAD A LOW FUEL CAUTION LIGHT AND WAS FLYING AT 200 FT AGL. I STATED THAT I WAS IN A CRITICAL FUEL SITUATION AND WANTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. TWR AGAIN STATED TO STAND BY FOR SVFR CLRNC AND I AGAIN RESTATED MY CRITICAL FUEL SITUATION. TWR THEN CLRED ME TO LAND. DUE TO THE WX CONDITIONS AND MY FUEL STATUS I WAS UNABLE TO WAIT FOR A CLRNC WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED POTENTIAL PROBLEMS IF THERE WAS MORE TFC. I DID FEEL STRESS AT THE TIME AND WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR MY CIVILIAN PAX. THE HELI IS NOT EQUIPPED FOR IMC CONDITIONS AND I DID NOT HAVE AN OPERABLE ATTITUDE INDICATOR OR VOR. FLYING AT SUCH A LOW ALT WITH FOG, I WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT FLYING INTO WIRES OR A TWR.

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.