A HELI PLT ATTEMPTING TO AVOID RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AND UNABLE TO CONTACT THE LCL CTLR ENTERS CWF CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND LANDS NEAR THE RWY. THE LCL CTLR EXPRESSES IRRITATION THAT THE LNDG WAS NOT MADE OFF THE ARPT.
Synopsis
A HELI PLT ATTEMPTING TO AVOID RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AND UNABLE TO CONTACT THE LCL CTLR ENTERS CWF CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND LANDS NEAR THE RWY. THE LCL CTLR EXPRESSES IRRITATION THAT THE LNDG WAS NOT MADE OFF THE ARPT.
Narrative
EARLY EVENING; I DEPARTED IN AN AS350BA; FROM THE COUSHATTA INDIAN RESERVATION RETURNING TO HOU. AFTER A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF FLT (APPROX 30 MINS) THE VISIBILITY WAS DETERIORATING VERY RAPIDLY. I ELECTED TO DIVERT TO CWF FOR A WX CHK AND ADD ADDITIONAL FUEL. APPROX 15-20 MI N OF THE AIRFIELD; I ATTEMPTED TO DIAL IN THE FREQ AND WAS UNABLE TO RAISE ANYONE. AT THIS TIME; WX CONDITIONS WERE DETERIORATING VERY RAPIDLY AND SINCE I WAS THE ONLY RATED PLT ABOARD AND SAFETY OF FLT WAS BECOMING CRITICAL; I ELECTED TO OFFSET MYSELF TO THE E SIDE OF THE RWY TO AVOID ANY LNDG INST TFC AND MAKE A LNDG FOR THE SAFETY OF MY PAX. I WAS NOW WORRIED ABOUT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION FROM TOO MUCH OR ANY HEAD MOVEMENT SO AGAIN ELECTED NOT TO TRY TO RESET XPONDER FOR LOSS OF COM. FROM THE TIME THIS ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS STARTED UNTIL I WAS AT THE FBO; I ESTIMATE THE WX HAD GONE FROM APPROX 1500 FT CEILING AND 6 OR MORE MILES VISIBILITY TO INDEFINITE OBSCURED AND 100 FT CEILING. WHEN I REACHED THE GND AND BEGAN A CONVERSATION WITH A TWR OPERATOR; HE WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND INDICATED I SHOULD HAVE PUT THE HELI DOWN ANYWHERE 'OUT THERE.' THAT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND NOT PRUDENT. IT WAS AT NIGHT; UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY; DETERIORATING WX; NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE WIRES OR ANY OTHER OBSTRUCTION WAS LOCATED; THIS CAN CREATE A VERY HAZARDOUS SIT FOR A HELI. I FELT COMPELLED WITH THE GRAVITY OF THE SIT TO EXERCISE MY EMER DEV ABILITY. I AM A DUAL RATED ATP; CFI; AND CFII. I ALSO HOLD AGI AND IGI CERTIFICATES.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.