Jet/Long Ranger/206
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 8; Flight Crew Total 5500; Flight Crew Type 3500
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Human Factors; Weather
Flight to remote forestry site; weather [was] clear visibility 10 miles; intended flight 78 NM; 26 gallon needed for flight. Fuel on board 55 gallons; fuel burn 26 gallons per hour for aircraft. Departed [and] noted broken ceiling 900-1;000 FT cruise altitude. [At] 1;500 FT noted extensive cloud/fog cover below on route of flight [and] was unable too maintain visual with ground. [I] elected to return to point of departure. Deteriorating conditions were encountered at about 40 minutes from departure. Checked weather at [a nearby airport]; showed broken at 1;200 FT. Conditions overcast and deteriorating on arrival. After conversing with ATC/Tower I elected to declare an emergency due to lowering fuel state and the need to descend through the clouds. The helicopter is VFR and I am a non-instrument rated pilot. I descended through the clouds breaking out at about 1;000 FT AGL; landed without further incident.
A VFR-rated helicopter pilot reported he chose to declare an emergency and descend through the clouds when he was caught above an overcast.