No fatalities

ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II accident at Mount Blanco, TX, 17 Apr 2026

Mount Blanco, TX, United States

On April 17, 2026, a ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II operated by CONCHO AVIATION LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Mount Blanco, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain proper main rotor rpm during a low-level turn, which resulted in the main rotor rpm drooping, a loss of control at an altitude too low for recovery, and a subsequent impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1785761257Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper main rotor rpm during a low-level turn, which resulted in the main rotor rpm drooping, a loss of control at an altitude too low for recovery, and a subsequent impact with terrain.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotProp/rotor parameters — Not attained/maintainedPowerplant parameters — Not attained/maintained