Helicopter VFR goes IMC on initial climb and returns and lands almost forgetting the landing gear.

Attributes
ACN	319240
Time
Date	199510
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ptn
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 250
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	S-76/S-76 Mark II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	319240
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After takeoff went IFR at 250 ft, copilot had pointed search light straight out the front of aircraft blinded pilot. Made turn to go back to heliport. Warning for wheels up horn didn't come on. Came to a hover and moved over the parking pad. At this time I could see that the wheels hadn't been extended. Told copilot to extend wheels and landed. After landing, advised copilot not to point landing light straight out front of aircraft and not to be talking on radio when we are on takeoff and landing. This was the first time we as a crew went inadvertent IFR. Following this occurrence we discussed improved procedure and crew coordination. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he was attempting to ferry an S-76 to a point 12 mi away under visual flight rules. The company VFR minimum was 300 ft. The ceiling was reported above that. However, this night the reporter went into the clouds at 250 ft. He returned to land because the WX ceiling was too low. The return was hampered by his being blinded by the light. The first officer was talking to company on the radio instead of backing up the captain on takeoff duties. The first officer was not coordinating helpfully in configuring the helicopter for a landing. The captain had to turn off the light and in the hover lower the landing gear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI VFR GOES IMC ON INITIAL CLB AND RETURNS AND LANDS ALMOST FORGETTING THE LNDG GEAR.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF WENT IFR AT 250 FT, COPLT HAD POINTED SEARCH LIGHT STRAIGHT OUT THE FRONT OF ACFT BLINDED PLT. MADE TURN TO GO BACK TO HELIPORT. WARNING FOR WHEELS UP HORN DIDN'T COME ON. CAME TO A HOVER AND MOVED OVER THE PARKING PAD. AT THIS TIME I COULD SEE THAT THE WHEELS HADN'T BEEN EXTENDED. TOLD COPLT TO EXTEND WHEELS AND LANDED. AFTER LNDG, ADVISED COPLT NOT TO POINT LNDG LIGHT STRAIGHT OUT FRONT OF ACFT AND NOT TO BE TALKING ON RADIO WHEN WE ARE ON TKOF AND LNDG. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE AS A CREW WENT INADVERTENT IFR. FOLLOWING THIS OCCURRENCE WE DISCUSSED IMPROVED PROC AND CREW COORD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO FERRY AN S-76 TO A POINT 12 MI AWAY UNDER VISUAL FLT RULES. THE COMPANY VFR MINIMUM WAS 300 FT. THE CEILING WAS RPTED ABOVE THAT. HOWEVER, THIS NIGHT THE RPTR WENT INTO THE CLOUDS AT 250 FT. HE RETURNED TO LAND BECAUSE THE WX CEILING WAS TOO LOW. THE RETURN WAS HAMPERED BY HIS BEING BLINDED BY THE LIGHT. THE FO WAS TALKING TO COMPANY ON THE RADIO INSTEAD OF BACKING UP THE CAPT ON TKOF DUTIES. THE FO WAS NOT COORDINATING HELPFULLY IN CONFIGURING THE HELI FOR A LNDG. THE CAPT HAD TO TURN OFF THE LIGHT AND IN THE HOVER LOWER THE LNDG GEAR.

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.