Narrative:

At approximately XX00 I departed north abc airport to hospital a, ZZZ, on a helicopter EMS mission. The patient was returning to abc hospital B, in abc. Reported ZZZ WX: 55 scattered visibility 10 rain. The flight to ZZZ was uneventful, landing at approximately XX15. At XX30 we were advised that the patient would not be transported (due to medical reasons), and I proceeded back to north abc airport. At about XX45 I encountered a ragged overcast at about 2200 ft MSL. I circumnaved for a period of time (5 mins or less) and asked abc controller for WX. He advised abc had a 1400 ft overcast ceiling. At this time I became inadvertent IMC and asked the controller for IFR handling. He concurred and cleared me direct to the nearby VORTAC at 4000 ft. The remainder of the flight including the VOR approach was uneventful. The terrain between ZZZ and abc is mountainous to approximately 2000 ft (from 600 ft valley MSL) with towers to 2800 ft MSL. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states WX change occurred sooner than forecast and rather than try to skirt along below ceiling in the mountainous terrain he felt request for IFR was safety factor. He was trying to climb to 2800 ft for safe clearance of terrain maximum elevation of 1700 ft, but at 2200 ft there was solid layer. ATC cleared to 3000 ft and IFR clearance. Company getting certified for IFR operation and will have approval in about 6 months. Returned without patient who died prior to pickup arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS FLT ENCOUNTERS IMC FILES IFR. COMPANY NOT APPROVED IFR OPS.

Narrative: AT APPROX XX00 I DEPARTED N ABC ARPT TO HOSPITAL A, ZZZ, ON A HELI EMS MISSION. THE PATIENT WAS RETURNING TO ABC HOSPITAL B, IN ABC. RPTED ZZZ WX: 55 SCATTERED VISIBILITY 10 RAIN. THE FLT TO ZZZ WAS UNEVENTFUL, LNDG AT APPROX XX15. AT XX30 WE WERE ADVISED THAT THE PATIENT WOULD NOT BE TRANSPORTED (DUE TO MEDICAL REASONS), AND I PROCEEDED BACK TO N ABC ARPT. AT ABOUT XX45 I ENCOUNTERED A RAGGED OVCST AT ABOUT 2200 FT MSL. I CIRCUMNAVED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME (5 MINS OR LESS) AND ASKED ABC CTLR FOR WX. HE ADVISED ABC HAD A 1400 FT OVCST CEILING. AT THIS TIME I BECAME INADVERTENT IMC AND ASKED THE CTLR FOR IFR HANDLING. HE CONCURRED AND CLRED ME DIRECT TO THE NEARBY VORTAC AT 4000 FT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT INCLUDING THE VOR APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE TERRAIN BTWN ZZZ AND ABC IS MOUNTAINOUS TO APPROX 2000 FT (FROM 600 FT VALLEY MSL) WITH TWRS TO 2800 FT MSL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES WX CHANGE OCCURRED SOONER THAN FORECAST AND RATHER THAN TRY TO SKIRT ALONG BELOW CEILING IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN HE FELT REQUEST FOR IFR WAS SAFETY FACTOR. HE WAS TRYING TO CLB TO 2800 FT FOR SAFE CLRNC OF TERRAIN MAX ELEVATION OF 1700 FT, BUT AT 2200 FT THERE WAS SOLID LAYER. ATC CLRED TO 3000 FT AND IFR CLRNC. COMPANY GETTING CERTIFIED FOR IFR OP AND WILL HAVE APPROVAL IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS. RETURNED WITHOUT PATIENT WHO DIED PRIOR TO PICKUP ARR.

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.