What happened
The pilot of a Schwezer 269-C diverted from his original flight path to an airport due to snow showers. Following a lunch stop, the pilot elected to return to his home base rather than proceeding to the intended destination. While en route, weather radar showed alternating areas of clear skies and snow showers. After approximately 30 minutes of flight, the intensity of the snowfall increased, resulting in visibility so low that the pilot became concerned about encountering obstructions.
Seeking a safe place to land, the pilot identified a farm house and circled the area before making an approach into the wind. As the aircraft approached the hover, loose snow and a snow-covered surface created a total whiteout effect, causing the pilot to lose ground contact. The helicopter touched down, at which point the pilot felt the main rotor blades strike the ground on the right side of the aircraft.
The investigation
An inspection of the landing area revealed a slight rise in elevation on the right side of the touchdown zone. An FAA inspector found no mechanical anomalies prior to the impact. Additionally, frozen dirt was found attached to the aft portion of the right landing skid.