# Accident 20200627008549A: Robinson Helicopter Company R44 II, Pioche, NV, June 27, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 27, 2020, 17:45 local time
- Place: Pioche, NV
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.9811° N, 114.6047° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9811&lon=-114.6047&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7530B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7530B-2022-11-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 II (registry code 7640122, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY R44 II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,914 total, 716 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20CA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA197) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200627008549A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR20CA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA197), Jun 28, 2020: Robinson R44 (N7530B), Pioche, NV, substantial damage. 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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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