Pilot Killed in Robinson R44 Helicopter Crash in Southern Poland

A 30-year-old pilot was killed when a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter — registration SP-MMO — crashed on the slopes of Mount Lubogoszcz near Kasina Wielka in southern Poland, authorities said. The helicopter, on a private flight from Hungary, disappeared from radar Wednesday, June 3, 2026, and its wreckage was discovered the following morning.

"Shortly before 8 a.m., the wreckage of the helicopter and one body were found on the slopes of Mount Lubogoszcz," police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cisło told the Polish Press Agency (PAP). The crash site, in the remote Beskid Wyspowy mountain range, was described as difficult to access, complicating search and recovery efforts. Police spokeswoman Anna Zbroja-Zagórska confirmed the pilot was the sole occupant.

Poland's State Commission for Investigation of Aviation Accidents (PKBWL) and prosecutors have opened a formal investigation into the cause of the crash. Preliminary radar data indicated the helicopter was flying at an altitude of 850 to 1,000 meters before the signal was lost, according to PAP. While early reports suggested adverse weather may have been a factor, officials have not confirmed any cause and stress the inquiry remains ongoing.