| Crash location | 30.932223°N, 99.809167°W |
| Nearest city | Menard, TX
30.917674°N, 99.786459°W 1.7 miles away |
| Tail number | N744RM |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 02 Jan 2013 |
| Aircraft type | Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Ii |
| Additional details: | None |
The helicopter was flying to the west, into the sun, at 250 feet above ground level. The pilot heard a loud "bang" and observed a black object go by the left side of his helicopter. The passenger side windshield was struck by the object. The pilot performed a forced landing to the highway. During the forced landing, both landing skids separated and the helicopter slid to a stop. The lower fuselage was buckled and wrinkled in several locations. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
The helicopter landed hard during a forced landing.