EMS PLT CLBED THROUGH CLOUDS WITH VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative

WE DEPARTED X MEDICAL CTR WITH THE INTENT OF TRANSPORTING A PATIENT FROM Y MEDICAL CTR TO XXX. WX ENRTE WAS CLR WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. UPON OUR ARR IN THE ZZZ AREA WE OBSERVED A SMALL POCKET OF FOG. THE FOG WAS CONFINED TO THE RIVER AND DOWNTOWN AREA. ALTHOUGH THE FOG WAS SHALLOW AND PORTIONS OF THE CITY WERE VISIBLE THROUGH IT; THE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND THE HOSPITAL WAS OBSTRUCTED. WE DISCUSSED SEVERAL ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING LNDG AT THE ARPT ABOUT 5 MI TO THE N AND LNDG AT AN UNPREPARED SITE SUCH AS THE FIRE DEPT OR A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I TENDED TO FAVOR THE FIRST OPTION GIVEN THE COORD AND RESPONSE TIME INVOLVED NECESSARY TO PREPARE A LNDG ZONE. I ALSO KNOW FROM PAST EXPERIENCE THAT GIVEN THE ALTERNATIVE OF TRANSPORTING THE PATIENT AT AN ALTERNATE LOCATION; YYY HAS ELECTED TO TRANSPORT THE PATIENT ENTIRELY BY GND TO XXX. HOWEVER; AS WE MADE OUR DSCNT ABOUT 1/2 TO 1 MI N OF THE HOSPITAL TO EVALUATE THE ALTERNATIVES; WE OBSERVED GOOD GND REFS AND LIGHTING BENEATH THE LAYER OF CLOUDS WHICH APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE THE AGL WITH RAGGED BOTTOMS AND NO MORE THAN 100 FT THICK. AT THAT TIME WE PROCEEDED UNDERNEATH THE LAYER AND COMPLETED OUR DSCNT AND APCH TO YYY. WE EXPERIENCED A RELATIVELY SHORT GND TIME (15-20 MINS) AND I FELT THAT ALTHOUGH MARGINAL; THE WX WAS STILL ADEQUATE FOR DEP AND THAT OUR BEST DEP RTE WOULD STILL BE TO THE N. HOWEVER; I ALSO REALIZED THAT THERE COULD BE A POSSIBILITY OF SOME DETERIORATION IN THE WX SINCE THE SUN WAS STARTING TO COME UP. BEFORE AND DURING LIFTOFF I STILL OBSERVED GOOD GND LIGHTING TO THE N AS WELL AS POCKETS OF AMBIENT LIGHTING UNDER THE LAYER OF CLOUDS. AS I PROCEEDED N; I OBSERVED MY GND REFS START TO DETERIORATE. AT THAT TIME I FELT THAT GIVEN THE NATURE (DEPTH AND BREADTH) OF THE CLOUD LAYER; AND MY ALTERNATIVES OF GOING LOWER OR FURTHER MANEUVERING BENEATH THIS LAYER; MY SAFEST OPTION WAS TO PUNCH THROUGH THE LAYER WHICH WE DID. WE WERE ON TOP IN LESS THAN 5 SECONDS AND RETURNED TO XXX WITHOUT INCIDENT. PLT RECOMMENDATION TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: THIS IS A TYPICAL WX PATTERN FOR THIS AREA IN THE FALL AND SPRING. ALTERNATE LNDG AND TRANSFER PROCS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED. HOSPITAL PERSONNEL SHOULD PROVIDE AN EVALUATION OF THE WX WHEN A FLT IS REQUESTED AND IF THE WX IS MARGINAL; A DECISION SHOULD BE MADE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE PROCS AT THAT TIME. MEDICAL CTR STAFF SHOULD BE PREPARED TO QUERY THE REQUESTING STAFF CONCERNING WX CONDITIONS AND THERE SHOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE PLACE ON THE FLT INFO SHEET TO REMIND THEM TO DO THIS AND TO RECORD THE INFO. FOR MY PART; I DO NOT FEEL I WAS UNSAFE. HOWEVER; I WILL STRICTLY ADHERE TO OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND PROCS TO REMOVE ANY DOUBT AND TO INSURE THAT I AM NOT IN THIS SIT AGAIN. I WILL ALSO INVOLVE THE CREW MORE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS WITH A MORE THOROUGH DISCUSSION OF OTHER TRANSPORT OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES.