B222 encounters IMC en route to an accident site. Reverses course and returns to departure station.

Attributes
ACN	693324
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smx.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Bell Helicopter 222
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	693324
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was called out to an accident. I flew the bell 222 southeast over the highway at 1000 ft AGL on radar altimeter. I was planning to not go any lower; or turn back. Began hitting the bottoms of the clouds; and had hills or mountains on both sides. I believed that the safest way to stay away from the hills was to climb and turn back to ZZZ. That's what I did. I climbed to 2500 ft MSL while turning a left 180 degree turn. Within 1 min more time; I came out of the cloud about 5 mi southeast of ZZZ.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B222 ENCOUNTERS IMC ENRTE TO AN ACCIDENT SITE. REVERSES COURSE AND RETURNS TO DEP STATION.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED OUT TO AN ACCIDENT. I FLEW THE BELL 222 SE OVER THE HWY AT 1000 FT AGL ON RADAR ALTIMETER. I WAS PLANNING TO NOT GO ANY LOWER; OR TURN BACK. BEGAN HITTING THE BOTTOMS OF THE CLOUDS; AND HAD HILLS OR MOUNTAINS ON BOTH SIDES. I BELIEVED THAT THE SAFEST WAY TO STAY AWAY FROM THE HILLS WAS TO CLB AND TURN BACK TO ZZZ. THAT'S WHAT I DID. I CLBED TO 2500 FT MSL WHILE TURNING A L 180 DEG TURN. WITHIN 1 MIN MORE TIME; I CAME OUT OF THE CLOUD ABOUT 5 MI SE OF ZZZ.

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.