No fatalities

ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II accident at Elko, NV, 1 Apr 2023

Elko, NV, United States

On April 1, 2023, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II operated by Baker Aircraft was involved in an aviation accident near Elko, NV. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 14 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 sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotEffect on operationAttain/maintain not possible

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1 Apr 2023 ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II accident near Elko, NV?

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain.

Were there any fatalities in the 1 Apr 2023 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 1 Apr 2023 involved a ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II, operated by Baker Aircraft, at Elko, NV.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude and airspeed in gusting tailwind conditions that resulted in an unrecoverable descent and impact with terrain.