Narrative:

I was flying a tour helicopter with 4 passenger on board. A flight of 2 as-350's departed ZZZ airport. I was flying the number 2 aircraft in the flight. We gave a tour of the one sight; and were on our way to another sight. We went to check if we could cross the ridgeline from one sight to the other. The lead aircraft decided the cloud base was too low; and so turned right to left to complete a 360 degree turn. I followed into the left turn; and climbed slightly unintentionally. Very quickly I found myself in IMC. I knew I had mountains on my right; left; and behind me. I knew to descend would put me in danger of hitting terrain; so I picked a heading of 270 degrees and climbed. I knew a west heading would take me out over water. I called my base and informed them of my situation. I kept climbing; hoping to come out on top of the layer. I climbed to 8000 ft on my heading. I turned around to a heading of 090 degrees and saw an opening in the layer. I attempted to descend through the opening; saw land and water underneath. As I completed my 360 degree turn to come through; I lost visual reference again. Again I climbed; this time to 10000 ft and did not come out on top. I squawked 7700 transponder and idented. Using my GPS; I could tell I was 13 miles from ZZZ airport; and my heading to get there was 095 degrees. I was talking to my base at all times who were talking to ZZZ tower all the time. Base started giving me vectors and altitudes to follow. I followed their instructions and eventually broke out of the clouds at 2500 ft MSL. I saw ZZZ1 island right there; found a beach; and landed the aircraft. I had 21 percent fuel left. I then called my base again who dispatched another aircraft to me with extra fuel on board for me. The other aircraft took the passenger back to base and another pilot flew my aircraft back.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AS350 TOURING BECAME IMC. UNABLE TO EXIT IMC; THE PLT DECLARED AN EMER AND RECEIVED VECTORS FOR DESCENT ONTO A VMC ISLAND.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A TOUR HELI WITH 4 PAX ON BOARD. A FLT OF 2 AS-350'S DEPARTED ZZZ ARPT. I WAS FLYING THE NUMBER 2 ACFT IN THE FLT. WE GAVE A TOUR OF THE ONE SIGHT; AND WERE ON OUR WAY TO ANOTHER SIGHT. WE WENT TO CHECK IF WE COULD CROSS THE RIDGELINE FROM ONE SIGHT TO THE OTHER. THE LEAD ACFT DECIDED THE CLOUD BASE WAS TOO LOW; AND SO TURNED R TO L TO COMPLETE A 360 DEG TURN. I FOLLOWED INTO THE L TURN; AND CLBED SLIGHTLY UNINTENTIONALLY. VERY QUICKLY I FOUND MYSELF IN IMC. I KNEW I HAD MOUNTAINS ON MY R; L; AND BEHIND ME. I KNEW TO DESCEND WOULD PUT ME IN DANGER OF HITTING TERRAIN; SO I PICKED A HDG OF 270 DEGS AND CLBED. I KNEW A W HDG WOULD TAKE ME OUT OVER WATER. I CALLED MY BASE AND INFORMED THEM OF MY SIT. I KEPT CLBING; HOPING TO COME OUT ON TOP OF THE LAYER. I CLBED TO 8000 FT ON MY HDG. I TURNED AROUND TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS AND SAW AN OPENING IN THE LAYER. I ATTEMPTED TO DSND THROUGH THE OPENING; SAW LAND AND WATER UNDERNEATH. AS I COMPLETED MY 360 DEG TURN TO COME THROUGH; I LOST VISUAL REFERENCE AGAIN. AGAIN I CLBED; THIS TIME TO 10000 FT AND DID NOT COME OUT ON TOP. I SQUAWKED 7700 XPONDER AND IDENTED. USING MY GPS; I COULD TELL I WAS 13 MILES FROM ZZZ ARPT; AND MY HDG TO GET THERE WAS 095 DEGS. I WAS TALKING TO MY BASE AT ALL TIMES WHO WERE TALKING TO ZZZ TWR ALL THE TIME. BASE STARTED GIVING ME VECTORS AND ALTS TO FOLLOW. I FOLLOWED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND EVENTUALLY BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 2500 FT MSL. I SAW ZZZ1 ISLAND RIGHT THERE; FOUND A BEACH; AND LANDED THE ACFT. I HAD 21 PERCENT FUEL LEFT. I THEN CALLED MY BASE AGAIN WHO DISPATCHED ANOTHER ACFT TO ME WITH EXTRA FUEL ON BOARD FOR ME. THE OTHER ACFT TOOK THE PAX BACK TO BASE AND ANOTHER PLT FLEW MY ACFT BACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.