Because of forecast of freezing rain, reporter repositioned EMS aircraft to another airport. Patient...

Attributes
ACN	327619
Time
Date	199602
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 7870 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	327619
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a routine WX check (while waiting for medical crew and patient) prior to departing the requesting hospital, I learned that there was some unforecasted freezing fain (light) at ZZZ. I made arrangements for the medical crew and patient to return to ZZZ by ground ambulance. I then repositioned from xyz to abc to wait out the passage of the light freezing rain in the ZZZ area. Upon subsequent improvement in the reported WX and based upon the PIREP I received from a king air pilot that had just arrived from ZZZ (he stated that there had been freezing rain at ZZZ earlier, but that he would now classify anything in the area as 'glorified fog' if anything), I departed at XA32 for def. At 10 mi northwest of the ZZZ, I encountered a brief rain cell (lasting no more than 1 min) which deposited a very light amount of ice on the sponsons. I continued and landed uneventfully at def. The rain that I flew through was very light. Contributing factors include the fact that my aircraft is equipped with a stormscope but no WX radar. In the future, I will wait until the front is well past my area before departing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BECAUSE OF FORECAST OF FREEZING RAIN, RPTR REPOSITIONED EMS ACFT TO ANOTHER ARPT. PATIENT AND MEDICAL CREW WERE TO ARRIVE BY GND AMBULANCE. ANOTHER ACFT LANDED AND TOLD RPTR THERE WAS NO WX ENRTE TO HIS DEST HOSPITAL, SO HE TOOK OFF. SOME LIGHT RAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED AND RPTR GOT SOME LIGHT ICING.

Narrative: DURING A ROUTINE WX CHK (WHILE WAITING FOR MEDICAL CREW AND PATIENT) PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE REQUESTING HOSPITAL, I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS SOME UNFORECASTED FREEZING FAIN (LIGHT) AT ZZZ. I MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MEDICAL CREW AND PATIENT TO RETURN TO ZZZ BY GND AMBULANCE. I THEN REPOSITIONED FROM XYZ TO ABC TO WAIT OUT THE PASSAGE OF THE LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IN THE ZZZ AREA. UPON SUBSEQUENT IMPROVEMENT IN THE RPTED WX AND BASED UPON THE PIREP I RECEIVED FROM A KING AIR PLT THAT HAD JUST ARRIVED FROM ZZZ (HE STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN FREEZING RAIN AT ZZZ EARLIER, BUT THAT HE WOULD NOW CLASSIFY ANYTHING IN THE AREA AS 'GLORIFIED FOG' IF ANYTHING), I DEPARTED AT XA32 FOR DEF. AT 10 MI NW OF THE ZZZ, I ENCOUNTERED A BRIEF RAIN CELL (LASTING NO MORE THAN 1 MIN) WHICH DEPOSITED A VERY LIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE ON THE SPONSONS. I CONTINUED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT DEF. THE RAIN THAT I FLEW THROUGH WAS VERY LIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE THE FACT THAT MY ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A STORMSCOPE BUT NO WX RADAR. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL WAIT UNTIL THE FRONT IS WELL PAST MY AREA BEFORE DEPARTING.

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.