Bell 206 pilot encounters low ceilings and visibility; elects to do an 'off field landing' and wait ...

Attributes
ACN	693541
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : coe.airport
State Reference	ID
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Jet Ranger/Kiowa/206
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 101
ASRS Report	693541
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

We lifted off the site to approximately 500 ft AGL and started to fly east around the city of coeur D'alene en route to the airfield for fuel (we had 25 gallons/1 hour on board). The airfield was in sight from 5 NM away and a ceiling I estimated at 4000 ft MSL. I tuned ASOS on and it was reporting a 100 ft overcast. Since I couldn't legally operate in class B airspace; I landed in an open; undeveloped field at the end of a street (closest vehicle a steam roller 500 yards away). I waited 20 mins on the ground to wait for the heavy rain shower to pass. I popped up to listen to ASOS. I could see the airfield; again estimated the ceiling 4000-4500 ft MSL and the shower had moved well north of the airfield; but the ASOS was still recording/reporting 100 ft overcast. I made the assumption that the ASOS was malfunctioning; flew a normal pattern and landing at the coe airport to obtain fuel for the last leg of the flight. At no time during this event did I observe the ceiling go below 1000 ft. When the rainshower was directly over the airfield; the visibility was reduced. At no time was my flight visibility less than 5 NM or was the ceiling less than 1500 ft AGL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BELL 206 PLT ENCOUNTERS LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY; ELECTS TO DO AN 'OFF FIELD LNDG' AND WAIT FOR THE WX TO PASS PRIOR TO CONTINUING TO DEST.

Narrative: WE LIFTED OFF THE SITE TO APPROX 500 FT AGL AND STARTED TO FLY E AROUND THE CITY OF COEUR D'ALENE ENRTE TO THE AIRFIELD FOR FUEL (WE HAD 25 GALLONS/1 HR ON BOARD). THE AIRFIELD WAS IN SIGHT FROM 5 NM AWAY AND A CEILING I ESTIMATED AT 4000 FT MSL. I TUNED ASOS ON AND IT WAS RPTING A 100 FT OVCST. SINCE I COULDN'T LEGALLY OPERATE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE; I LANDED IN AN OPEN; UNDEVELOPED FIELD AT THE END OF A STREET (CLOSEST VEHICLE A STEAM ROLLER 500 YARDS AWAY). I WAITED 20 MINS ON THE GND TO WAIT FOR THE HVY RAIN SHOWER TO PASS. I POPPED UP TO LISTEN TO ASOS. I COULD SEE THE AIRFIELD; AGAIN ESTIMATED THE CEILING 4000-4500 FT MSL AND THE SHOWER HAD MOVED WELL N OF THE AIRFIELD; BUT THE ASOS WAS STILL RECORDING/RPTING 100 FT OVCST. I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE ASOS WAS MALFUNCTIONING; FLEW A NORMAL PATTERN AND LNDG AT THE COE ARPT TO OBTAIN FUEL FOR THE LAST LEG OF THE FLT. AT NO TIME DURING THIS EVENT DID I OBSERVE THE CEILING GO BELOW 1000 FT. WHEN THE RAINSHOWER WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE AIRFIELD; THE VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED. AT NO TIME WAS MY FLT VISIBILITY LESS THAN 5 NM OR WAS THE CEILING LESS THAN 1500 FT AGL.

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.

Bell 206 pilot encounters low ceilings and visibility; elects to do an 'off field landing' and wait for the WX to pass prior to continuing to destination.