Narrative:

Military helicopter was returning from training flight in rapidly deteriorating WX. I contacted glenview tower outside the control zone, although I used a local area check point (lynco intersection) in my transmission with tower that placed me in the control zone. I had the check point in sight and provided that check point out of habit. The tower replied the zone was IFR. I requested a SVFR clearance into the control zone, while the copilot was proceeding toward the area at 100 KTS. The tower refused to grant my request for a SVFR clearance into the control zone and to contact chicago approach for an IFR clearance. At that point I took the controls and executed an immediate 180 degree turn, since we had entered the control zone during the radio interaction. I see the problem as contacting tower at a point which would leave little margin for error and not expecting/anticipating tower to deny the request for a SVFR clearance. I circled outside the control zone for approximately 7-10 mins until chicago approach issued an IFR clearance for a PAR approach into glenview. The SOP minimums for SVFR rotary clrncs at glenview at 600 ft ceilings and 1 mi visibility, which we had upon initial call up. Realizing the minimum requirements were met for a SVFR clearance, according to the ATIS, I did not expect to have request denied and be forced to circle in poor WX awaiting IFR clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MIL LIGHT HELI PLT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CTL ZONE IN IMC WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN VFR.

Narrative: MIL HELI WAS RETURNING FROM TRAINING FLT IN RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX. I CONTACTED GLENVIEW TWR OUTSIDE THE CTL ZONE, ALTHOUGH I USED A LCL AREA CHK POINT (LYNCO INTXN) IN MY XMISSION WITH TWR THAT PLACED ME IN THE CTL ZONE. I HAD THE CHK POINT IN SIGHT AND PROVIDED THAT CHK POINT OUT OF HABIT. THE TWR REPLIED THE ZONE WAS IFR. I REQUESTED A SVFR CLRNC INTO THE CTL ZONE, WHILE THE COPLT WAS PROCEEDING TOWARD THE AREA AT 100 KTS. THE TWR REFUSED TO GRANT MY REQUEST FOR A SVFR CLRNC INTO THE CTL ZONE AND TO CONTACT CHICAGO APCH FOR AN IFR CLRNC. AT THAT POINT I TOOK THE CTLS AND EXECUTED AN IMMEDIATE 180 DEG TURN, SINCE WE HAD ENTERED THE CTL ZONE DURING THE RADIO INTERACTION. I SEE THE PROB AS CONTACTING TWR AT A POINT WHICH WOULD LEAVE LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR AND NOT EXPECTING/ANTICIPATING TWR TO DENY THE REQUEST FOR A SVFR CLRNC. I CIRCLED OUTSIDE THE CTL ZONE FOR APPROX 7-10 MINS UNTIL CHICAGO APCH ISSUED AN IFR CLRNC FOR A PAR APCH INTO GLENVIEW. THE SOP MINIMUMS FOR SVFR ROTARY CLRNCS AT GLENVIEW AT 600 FT CEILINGS AND 1 MI VISIBILITY, WHICH WE HAD UPON INITIAL CALL UP. REALIZING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS WERE MET FOR A SVFR CLRNC, ACCORDING TO THE ATIS, I DID NOT EXPECT TO HAVE REQUEST DENIED AND BE FORCED TO CIRCLE IN POOR WX AWAITING IFR CLRNC.

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.