Narrative:

En route to gls, we penetrated class east surface area in IFR conditions. I did not realize this until next morning, when looking at my VFR charts, that we had done this. We were en route from ZZZ to gls. The WX in gls had deteriorated since checked prior to leaving. By the time we were 20 NM out, we were encountering severe turbulence, reduced visibility and low roll clouds due to thunderstorm activity around gls. Gls was still reporting good ceilings and visibility and so since we had already passed our point of diverting to alternative landing areas, we continued on. We were required to descend to 200 ft AGL to pass beneath several roll clouds. We tried to listen to AWOS, but it was very garbled, probably due to low altitude and bad thunderstorms. We were making position reports on the local traffic frequency and heard no one. We were unable to reach unicom, or our operations at this point. I believe we penetrated the class east surface area during IFR WX without a clearance. I believe this occurred due to pilot workload during bad WX, lack of crew coordination due to inexperience of crew working together, very inexperienced sic, and lack of diligence on my part. Contributing factor was worse than expected WX, and early night fall due to heavy thunderstorms. Although we landed prior to sunset, the ambient light was gone. Also, bad judgement on my part -- should have had more options.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BELL 412 FLC FLEW INTO CLASS E AIRSPACE VFR WHEN THE WX WAS IFR.

Narrative: ENRTE TO GLS, WE PENETRATED CLASS E SURFACE AREA IN IFR CONDITIONS. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL NEXT MORNING, WHEN LOOKING AT MY VFR CHARTS, THAT WE HAD DONE THIS. WE WERE ENRTE FROM ZZZ TO GLS. THE WX IN GLS HAD DETERIORATED SINCE CHKED PRIOR TO LEAVING. BY THE TIME WE WERE 20 NM OUT, WE WERE ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURB, REDUCED VISIBILITY AND LOW ROLL CLOUDS DUE TO TSTM ACTIVITY AROUND GLS. GLS WAS STILL RPTING GOOD CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY AND SO SINCE WE HAD ALREADY PASSED OUR POINT OF DIVERTING TO ALTERNATIVE LNDG AREAS, WE CONTINUED ON. WE WERE REQUIRED TO DSND TO 200 FT AGL TO PASS BENEATH SEVERAL ROLL CLOUDS. WE TRIED TO LISTEN TO AWOS, BUT IT WAS VERY GARBLED, PROBABLY DUE TO LOW ALT AND BAD TSTMS. WE WERE MAKING POS RPTS ON THE LCL TFC FREQ AND HEARD NO ONE. WE WERE UNABLE TO REACH UNICOM, OR OUR OPS AT THIS POINT. I BELIEVE WE PENETRATED THE CLASS E SURFACE AREA DURING IFR WX WITHOUT A CLRNC. I BELIEVE THIS OCCURRED DUE TO PLT WORKLOAD DURING BAD WX, LACK OF CREW COORD DUE TO INEXPERIENCE OF CREW WORKING TOGETHER, VERY INEXPERIENCED SIC, AND LACK OF DILIGENCE ON MY PART. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS WORSE THAN EXPECTED WX, AND EARLY NIGHT FALL DUE TO HVY TSTMS. ALTHOUGH WE LANDED PRIOR TO SUNSET, THE AMBIENT LIGHT WAS GONE. ALSO, BAD JUDGEMENT ON MY PART -- SHOULD HAVE HAD MORE OPTIONS.

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.