No fatalities

Robinson R44 II accident at Pioche, NV, 28 Jun 2020

Pioche, NV, United States

On June 28, 2020, a Robinson R44 II was involved in an aviation accident near Pioche, NV. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s decision to fly at low level over mountainous terrain and his inability to recover when the helicopter encountered a downdraft that resulted in a collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to fly at low level over mountainous terrain and his inability to recover when the helicopter encountered a downdraft that resulted in a collision with terrain.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotAltitude — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation