Narrative:

I arrived at a hospital located in class east airspace (adjacent to a non-tower controled airport) to pick up a 9 month old girl in respiratory distress. There was no ASOS/AWOS at the airport (yet commercial WX was available) so I relied on my own observation and determined that the WX was VFR (upon reviewing the WX on my return to base I learned that this observation was correct). While waiting for the patient to be prepared for transport, I noted that it had begun to snow. I felt that the conditions in the area were still VFR and did not contact FSS for a SVFR clearance. The fact that the patient was ready for transport was a factor in my decision not to initiate this time consuming process. We departed the hospital at XX05 and I noted that there were several isolated snow showers in the vicinity of the airport. Upon my arrival at base, I ran the current WX observations and discovered that XW45 observation at ZZZ called for 2 mi in light snow. I was therefore operating in controled airspace in IFR conditions without clearance. In retrospect, I should have taken the time to contact the FSS for WX observations and clrncs. The problem with this procedure is that I must, due to ATC limit on time for a SVFR clearance, call as close as possible to the departure time. But, a long delay with FSS on the phone 10 mins prior to departure can delay patient transport time. Landing and departing from the airport would make obtaining WX and clrncs easier, but would increase patient transport times ever more.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WINGED TFC FLT. IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT A HOSPITAL LOCATED IN CLASS E AIRSPACE (ADJACENT TO A NON-TWR CTLED ARPT) TO PICK UP A 9 MONTH OLD GIRL IN RESPIRATORY DISTRESS. THERE WAS NO ASOS/AWOS AT THE ARPT (YET COMMERCIAL WX WAS AVAILABLE) SO I RELIED ON MY OWN OBSERVATION AND DETERMINED THAT THE WX WAS VFR (UPON REVIEWING THE WX ON MY RETURN TO BASE I LEARNED THAT THIS OBSERVATION WAS CORRECT). WHILE WAITING FOR THE PATIENT TO BE PREPARED FOR TRANSPORT, I NOTED THAT IT HAD BEGUN TO SNOW. I FELT THAT THE CONDITIONS IN THE AREA WERE STILL VFR AND DID NOT CONTACT FSS FOR A SVFR CLRNC. THE FACT THAT THE PATIENT WAS READY FOR TRANSPORT WAS A FACTOR IN MY DECISION NOT TO INITIATE THIS TIME CONSUMING PROCESS. WE DEPARTED THE HOSPITAL AT XX05 AND I NOTED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT. UPON MY ARR AT BASE, I RAN THE CURRENT WX OBSERVATIONS AND DISCOVERED THAT XW45 OBSERVATION AT ZZZ CALLED FOR 2 MI IN LIGHT SNOW. I WAS THEREFORE OPERATING IN CTLED AIRSPACE IN IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT CLRNC. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO CONTACT THE FSS FOR WX OBSERVATIONS AND CLRNCS. THE PROB WITH THIS PROC IS THAT I MUST, DUE TO ATC LIMIT ON TIME FOR A SVFR CLRNC, CALL AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE DEP TIME. BUT, A LONG DELAY WITH FSS ON THE PHONE 10 MINS PRIOR TO DEP CAN DELAY PATIENT TRANSPORT TIME. LNDG AND DEPARTING FROM THE ARPT WOULD MAKE OBTAINING WX AND CLRNCS EASIER, BUT WOULD INCREASE PATIENT TRANSPORT TIMES EVER MORE.

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.