Narrative:

I departed addc) at XX57 local (approximately 10 mins after sunset). By my observation pre WX was 1000 ft ceiling 3 mi visibility or a little better, my most recent WX check with the FSS was in the am, about 8 hours old. I was watching the local WX channel on tv at FBO 1 hour prior to departure. Nothing indicated any low clouds, rain, fog fronts, occlusions. About 10 mi northwest of xyz I started to encounter total blackness with no visual contact with the ground, except for occasional ground lights. Visibility began to diminish 1-2 mi, then IMC in fog. I then flew into a solid IMC conditions. Before I could execute a deceleration and turn, I went IMC at 120 KTS at 700 ft AGL. I then made an IMC climb to 2700 ft where I was on top. At this time, the nurse asked me to go back to abc hospital because the patient was not tolerating the increased altitude. I informed the nurse I could not return to the hospital and that I would have to continue to acc medical center in xxz or we could divert to YYY. Obstruction clearance along this route required I stay at 2500 ft or above because of a tower 10 mi east. I was in the clouds for approximately 5 mins and I was over the top for an additional 6-10 mins. I did contact xa approach on 124.67 and requested a WX update. They gave me: xa 12000 ft over 7, xb clear 10, xc clear 10. I decided not to go to xc and continued on top to hospital. The WX became clear and 15 plus 10 mi northwest of xc, I completed this leg VFR. My company has placed me on probation for an unrelated fueling incident (solo refueling) and I felt if I owned up to this IMC en route I would be fired! I have stated to my director of operations that I encountered a thin and scattered layer. My company is questioning all the people on the flight and have started to gather facts from all sources. I feel my in-flight decision to climb was the best way to be safe in this incident. I realize I had no separation and no IFR flight plan. My aircraft was not up to speed, VOR checks etc. I am not current on instruments and part 135 regulation would require a sic or an autoplt which I did not have. I have logged 6 approachs and 2 hours of simulator time in dec/xx/95. 1.8 hours simulator and 5 approachs in nov/xx/95, so I have 3.8 hours hood and 11 approachs in the last 90 days, 3.9 hours hood in the last 6 months. The aircraft was a BH22-C certified for day/night VFR and single pilot IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS HELI PLT OF AN SMT TWIN HELI FLEW INTO IMC WHILE CONDUCTING A VFR FLT AT NIGHT AND CLBED TO VFR ON TOP.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ADDC) AT XX57 LCL (APPROX 10 MINS AFTER SUNSET). BY MY OBSERVATION PRE WX WAS 1000 FT CEILING 3 MI VISIBILITY OR A LITTLE BETTER, MY MOST RECENT WX CHK WITH THE FSS WAS IN THE AM, ABOUT 8 HRS OLD. I WAS WATCHING THE LCL WX CHANNEL ON TV AT FBO 1 HR PRIOR TO DEP. NOTHING INDICATED ANY LOW CLOUDS, RAIN, FOG FRONTS, OCCLUSIONS. ABOUT 10 MI NW OF XYZ I STARTED TO ENCOUNTER TOTAL BLACKNESS WITH NO VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND, EXCEPT FOR OCCASIONAL GND LIGHTS. VISIBILITY BEGAN TO DIMINISH 1-2 MI, THEN IMC IN FOG. I THEN FLEW INTO A SOLID IMC CONDITIONS. BEFORE I COULD EXECUTE A DECELERATION AND TURN, I WENT IMC AT 120 KTS AT 700 FT AGL. I THEN MADE AN IMC CLB TO 2700 FT WHERE I WAS ON TOP. AT THIS TIME, THE NURSE ASKED ME TO GO BACK TO ABC HOSPITAL BECAUSE THE PATIENT WAS NOT TOLERATING THE INCREASED ALT. I INFORMED THE NURSE I COULD NOT RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ACC MEDICAL CTR IN XXZ OR WE COULD DIVERT TO YYY. OBSTRUCTION CLRNC ALONG THIS RTE REQUIRED I STAY AT 2500 FT OR ABOVE BECAUSE OF A TWR 10 MI E. I WAS IN THE CLOUDS FOR APPROX 5 MINS AND I WAS OVER THE TOP FOR AN ADDITIONAL 6-10 MINS. I DID CONTACT XA APCH ON 124.67 AND REQUESTED A WX UPDATE. THEY GAVE ME: XA 12000 FT OVER 7, XB CLR 10, XC CLR 10. I DECIDED NOT TO GO TO XC AND CONTINUED ON TOP TO HOSPITAL. THE WX BECAME CLR AND 15 PLUS 10 MI NW OF XC, I COMPLETED THIS LEG VFR. MY COMPANY HAS PLACED ME ON PROBATION FOR AN UNRELATED FUELING INCIDENT (SOLO REFUELING) AND I FELT IF I OWNED UP TO THIS IMC ENRTE I WOULD BE FIRED! I HAVE STATED TO MY DIRECTOR OF OPS THAT I ENCOUNTERED A THIN AND SCATTERED LAYER. MY COMPANY IS QUESTIONING ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE FLT AND HAVE STARTED TO GATHER FACTS FROM ALL SOURCES. I FEEL MY INFLT DECISION TO CLB WAS THE BEST WAY TO BE SAFE IN THIS INCIDENT. I REALIZE I HAD NO SEPARATION AND NO IFR FLT PLAN. MY ACFT WAS NOT UP TO SPD, VOR CHKS ETC. I AM NOT CURRENT ON INSTS AND PART 135 REG WOULD REQUIRE A SIC OR AN AUTOPLT WHICH I DID NOT HAVE. I HAVE LOGGED 6 APCHS AND 2 HRS OF SIMULATOR TIME IN DEC/XX/95. 1.8 HRS SIMULATOR AND 5 APCHS IN NOV/XX/95, SO I HAVE 3.8 HRS HOOD AND 11 APCHS IN THE LAST 90 DAYS, 3.9 HRS HOOD IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THE ACFT WAS A BH22-C CERTIFIED FOR DAY/NIGHT VFR AND SINGLE PLT IFR.

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.