EC135
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
On a patient transport flight enroute to destination hospital the weather was noted to be below VFR minimums beyond our current location; precluding further VFR operations. After returning to the intermediate checkpoint a further attempt was done further to the east which was unsuccessful due to mountain obscuration which was not in place during the outbound leg. A next attempt was made going to the north toward a known checkpoint without success. In the vicinity of the last checkpoint and faced with deteriorating weather conditions it was determined that the safest alternative was to utilize the IIMC (Inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Condition) procedure for the local area. This was based on the localized weather which precluded VFR operations and the knowledge that VFR conditions existed and were verified prior to departure on the literal 'other side of the hill'. The medical crew was briefed prior to the procedure and ATC was called prior to entering the clouds. We climbed clear were vectored to VFR conditions; where I cancelled the emergency and proceeded to the hospital without incident. As the altitude at which I was operating and the environment precluded gaining an ATC clearance I felt that [requesting for priority handling] was the most prudent thing to do; I also explained the situation to the ATC controller and she acknowledged accordingly. It has been noted that I might have been able to return to an airport that was proximal to where I was operating but at the time after making two 180 degree turns and having the airport and associated town behind a ridge line I didn't think to go there if able.After being counseled as to my actions; I will now regardless; attempt to just land the aircraft; attempt to make ground arrangements for patients; though my actions were not foremost for the patient; but rather for the medical crew and aircraft.
EC135 pilot reported the deterioration of VFR conditions and not making the best decision to land VFR.