Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75; Flight Crew Total 7300; Flight Crew Type 1750
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Environment - Non Weather Related; Chart Or Publication; Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Departed IFR from the airport and climbed through a layer at about 800 FT AGL and transitioned to VMC conditions on top at about 2;000 MSL with 20+ miles of visibility. Conditions were VFR along the route. I maintained my IFR clearance as an additional safety mechanism; in case there was a need to abort the flight for weather.... I began to see a layer of some type of obscuration in the general area of our destination. I could see the local airport; however the hospital was obscured by this low layer of obscuration. Although; I could have made a VFR descent into the airport; I did request a clearance for the approach into the airport. This provided an opportunity for currency reasons; and it would allow me to better position myself in relation to the hospital. This area is very dark at night.... Numerous oil derricks have been erected in the area and I wanted to make sure I was clear of any obstructions during the letdown. Once we were cleared for the approach; I executed the holding pattern maneuver and established myself inbound on the procedure. Around this time we decided it was best to cancel the flight and return home. I initiated a go around and notified Center I was going missed and wanted to return home. I executed the initial portion of the missed approach procedure for practice. As I was reviewing the procedure again; I noticed the small note on the approach plate stating the procedure was NA at night. I had previously noticed the remark regarding the visibility reduction for helicopters; however; I missed the note regarding the night time restriction. The entire portion of the procedure I did fly was executed in VMC conditions. The aircraft interior lighting design is not the greatest; and is further complicated by the NVG modification. You have to scan documents across the lighting in order to read something at times. I decided it was time to re-invest in a new lip light to greater increase the lighting in the cockpit at night; and to better scrutinize the plates regarding the small notes.
Medical transport helicopter pilot completed a published approach procedure and missed approach at destination airport in night VMC before noticing that the procedure was not authorized at night. Pilot attributed the error to inadequate cockpit lighting.