An EMS rotary winged flight gets in trouble when the pilot gets vertigo, IMC in VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	537630
Time
Date	200202
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2150 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3750 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	537630
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Was en route from WWW hospital to xyz with trauma patient onboard when flight crew encountered MVFR with deteriorating ceiling and visibility below forecasted WX. Co-pilot elected to execute a slightly descending left 180 degree turn (manually) to maintain VFR. 1/2 way through course reversal at approximately 1000 ft AGL, aircraft entered clouds and pilot became spatially disoriented, developing severe vertigo. Immediate transition was made to scanning of attitude gyro and other flight crew instruments, but aircraft was in a decelerating 10-15 degree nose-up attitude and steep 30-45 degree right angle of bank. Pilot announced to crew that he had vertigo and wrestled aircraft back into stable flight parameters within approximately 20-30 seconds, climbing and achieving VFR on top conditions at 3500 ft MSL. Pilot re-engaged autoplt and contacted ZZZ tower 20 NM to northwest, which announced radar contact. Pilot declared emergency and requested vectors for ILS. Tower offered vectors but stated WX at ZZZ was 1400 ft overcast and pilot elected to continue with plan to shoot ILS into ZZZ. Vectors and approach were uneventful. Upon breaking out on final at approximately 1400 ft and regaining VMC, pilot canceled IFR and continued to xyz at 1000 ft AGL in VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMS ROTARY WINGED FLT GETS IN TROUBLE WHEN THE PLT GETS VERTIGO, IMC IN VFR FLT.

Narrative: WAS ENRTE FROM WWW HOSPITAL TO XYZ WITH TRAUMA PATIENT ONBOARD WHEN FLC ENCOUNTERED MVFR WITH DETERIORATING CEILING AND VISIBILITY BELOW FORECASTED WX. CO-PLT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A SLIGHTLY DSNDING L 180 DEG TURN (MANUALLY) TO MAINTAIN VFR. 1/2 WAY THROUGH COURSE REVERSAL AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL, ACFT ENTERED CLOUDS AND PLT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED, DEVELOPING SEVERE VERTIGO. IMMEDIATE TRANSITION WAS MADE TO SCANNING OF ATTITUDE GYRO AND OTHER FLC INSTS, BUT ACFT WAS IN A DECELERATING 10-15 DEG NOSE-UP ATTITUDE AND STEEP 30-45 DEG R ANGLE OF BANK. PLT ANNOUNCED TO CREW THAT HE HAD VERTIGO AND WRESTLED ACFT BACK INTO STABLE FLT PARAMETERS WITHIN APPROX 20-30 SECONDS, CLBING AND ACHIEVING VFR ON TOP CONDITIONS AT 3500 FT MSL. PLT RE-ENGAGED AUTOPLT AND CONTACTED ZZZ TWR 20 NM TO NW, WHICH ANNOUNCED RADAR CONTACT. PLT DECLARED EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS FOR ILS. TWR OFFERED VECTORS BUT STATED WX AT ZZZ WAS 1400 FT OVCST AND PLT ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH PLAN TO SHOOT ILS INTO ZZZ. VECTORS AND APCH WERE UNEVENTFUL. UPON BREAKING OUT ON FINAL AT APPROX 1400 FT AND REGAINING VMC, PLT CANCELED IFR AND CONTINUED TO XYZ AT 1000 FT AGL IN VFR.

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.