Narrative
A state police helicopter departed on a night flight within the state. While climbing through approximately 200 feet, the helicopter entered low clouds. The pilot decided to return to the departure airport and initiated a turn. During the turn, the pilot lost sight of the ground. The observer called to the pilot just before the helicopter struck the ground, allowing the pilot to cushion the impact. Nevertheless, the helicopter's skids collapsed upon landing.
Weather Information
The pilot reported that on the way to the airport, he drove through patches of fog. At the airport, he observed 2 miles of ground visibility and stars visible overhead. Based on these observations, he did not check the weather. Recorded weather at the airport one hour prior to the accident indicated a ceiling of 100 feet broken, 700 feet overcast. Ten minutes after the accident, the weather at the airport reported a ceiling of 100 feet overcast. Similar weather observations were recorded at the closest weather stations to the north and south of the departure airport.