Flight and Weather Conditions
The pilot of a Robinson R44 II was on the final leg of a visual flight rules (VFR) flight. About 18 miles from the destination airport, he obtained a special VFR clearance from the approach controller due to snow showers in the area. The clearance was later canceled by the controller due to "saturation," and the pilot was told not to enter the area, which was several miles ahead.
Maneuver and Instrument Failure
The pilot turned the helicopter around and entered a "near zero/zero whiteout." During the "tight" turn, the attitude indicator "tumbled."
Precautionary Landing and Damage
The pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing to a plowed field below. As the helicopter contacted the ground, the skids sunk into the soft terrain, and the aft portion of the tailboom and the skids separated from the fuselage.
Reported Weather
The weather reported at the destination airport at the time of the accident included 1 1/2 statute miles visibility in light snow and mist.