20130102000149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Robinson Helicopter R44 II · Menard, TX · January 2, 2013

Date
January 2, 2013 · 17:45 local
Place
Menard, TX
Airport
Menard
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N744RM
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN13CA124
Reported as
Robinson Helicopter R44 II
Reported engine
Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
6,015 total122 in this make and model59 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During cruise flight the aircraft struck a bird that broke the passenger side windshield. During a rapid descent approach to a precautionary landing the aircraft struck power lines and came to rest on a highway.

As the FAA filed it

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BIRD THAT BROKE THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. DURING A RAPID DESCENT APPROACH TO A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES AND CAME TO REST ON A HIGHWAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.