What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 27, 2020, at approximately 1745 PDT, a 2004 Robinson 44 (R44 ii) helicopter sustained substantial damage when it experienced an uncontrollable descent into trees in mountainous terrain approximately 10 miles west of Pioche, NV.
The helicopter had a hard landing in a small valley at approximately 6,800 ft. MSL. An examination of the scene revealed the helicopter came to a rest upright after the main rotor blades and airframe impacted trees. It appeared the helicopter was in a nose high attitude prior to impact, due to the damage to the tail rotor blades consistent with an approximately 60 foot long narrow depression in the dirt prior to impact. The fuselage sustained substantial damage and the skids collapsed from impact with the terrain.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 27, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 1745 PDT, A 2004 ROBINSON 44 (R44 II) HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTROLLABLE DESCENT INTO TREES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES WEST OF PIOCHE, NV.
THE HELICOPTER HAD A HARD LANDING IN A SMALL VALLEY AT APPROXIMATELY 6,800 FT. MSL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE SCENE REVEALED THE HELICOPTER CAME TO A REST UPRIGHT AFTER THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND AIRFRAME IMPACTED TREES. IT APPEARED THE HELICOPTER WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE PRIOR TO IMPACT, DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES CONSISTENT WITH AN APPROXIMATELY 60 FOOT LONG NARROW DEPRESSION IN THE DIRT PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE FUSELAGE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE SKIDS COLLAPSED FROM IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.