An EMS bell 206 inadvertently entered IMC for several seconds en route with a patient on board.

Attributes
ACN	635667
Time
Date	200410
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Jet Ranger/Kiowa/206
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 49 flight time total : 9952 flight time type : 3730
ASRS Report	635667
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on an EMS flight, I encountered limited visibility with ground reference. The flight was flying from a hospital with a patient on board. The rain had picked up and the visibility was less than reported. At 1000 ft MSL, we started to lose ground reference. I was able to maintain a couple of lights to the side but forward lights all disappeared. I maintained straight and level with the use of instruments and the 2 lights out the side. The time line was short and then we had forward lights again, no altitude was lost. Our heading was on track and we continued our flight without incident. The problem is having a patient onboard and feeling the pressure to try to continue the flight in less than reported conditions. The ship was IFR capable, but they had disconnected the autoplt so it was inoperative. I am ATP rated but not current IFR. We do have another IFR ship which should have been sent on the flight but we are closer by 18 mi and our ship is much cheaper to fly. Because of this flight they will from now on send the other ship if it is available. It is too bad that we sometimes have to have less than favorable flts to get non aviation people to realize closer and cheaper are not always the right thing to do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMS BELL 206 INADVERTENTLY ENTERED IMC FOR SEVERAL SECONDS ENRTE WITH A PATIENT ON BOARD.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN EMS FLT, I ENCOUNTERED LIMITED VISIBILITY WITH GND REF. THE FLT WAS FLYING FROM A HOSPITAL WITH A PATIENT ON BOARD. THE RAIN HAD PICKED UP AND THE VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN RPTED. AT 1000 FT MSL, WE STARTED TO LOSE GND REF. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN A COUPLE OF LIGHTS TO THE SIDE BUT FORWARD LIGHTS ALL DISAPPEARED. I MAINTAINED STRAIGHT AND LEVEL WITH THE USE OF INSTS AND THE 2 LIGHTS OUT THE SIDE. THE TIME LINE WAS SHORT AND THEN WE HAD FORWARD LIGHTS AGAIN, NO ALT WAS LOST. OUR HDG WAS ON TRACK AND WE CONTINUED OUR FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PROB IS HAVING A PATIENT ONBOARD AND FEELING THE PRESSURE TO TRY TO CONTINUE THE FLT IN LESS THAN RPTED CONDITIONS. THE SHIP WAS IFR CAPABLE, BUT THEY HAD DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT SO IT WAS INOP. I AM ATP RATED BUT NOT CURRENT IFR. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER IFR SHIP WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT ON THE FLT BUT WE ARE CLOSER BY 18 MI AND OUR SHIP IS MUCH CHEAPER TO FLY. BECAUSE OF THIS FLT THEY WILL FROM NOW ON SEND THE OTHER SHIP IF IT IS AVAILABLE. IT IS TOO BAD THAT WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO HAVE LESS THAN FAVORABLE FLTS TO GET NON AVIATION PEOPLE TO REALIZE CLOSER AND CHEAPER ARE NOT ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

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.