No fatalities

ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II accident at Ithaca, NE, 28 Jul 2022

Ithaca, NE, United States

On July 28, 2022, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II operated by BLUE STEM LEASING LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Ithaca, NE. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low level aerial application operations due to a distraction. 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 failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low level aerial application operations due to a distraction.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotAltitude — Not attained/maintainedAwareness of condition

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 28 Jul 2022 ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II accident near Ithaca, NE?

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low level aerial application operations due to a distraction.

Were there any fatalities in the 28 Jul 2022 ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 28 Jul 2022 involved a ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, operated by BLUE STEM LEASING LLC, at Ithaca, NE.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low level aerial application operations due to a distraction.