Posted on 04/12/2025 9:56:21 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The ill-fated Bell206L-4 LongRanger IV aircraft, owned and operated by New York Helicopter, experienced a mechanical issue with its transmission assembly last September, according to Federal Aviation Administration data.
Records show the doomed chopper was built in 2004 and had already logged 12,728 hours of flight time when it was forced into repair.
An investigation is underway to determine what caused the aircraft to drop out of the sky and plunge into the river. The probe will comb through the pilot’s experience, the still-incomplete wreckage, and the Big Apple company that runs the sightseeing tours.
Investigators will also review the maintenance work that was done on the doomed aircraft, including the completion of two recent safety airworthiness directives the FAA issued on Bell 206L model helicopters.
The federal agency issued the first directive in December 2022 and called for the inspection and possible replacement of the models’ main rotor blades due to “delamination” — an issue with the internal layers of the blade separating due to material fatigue, damage or other defects.
The problem, if not fixed, could potentially cause the rotor blade to fail.
A second directive, issued in May 2023, required the testing and possible replacement of tail rotor shafts on eight models, including the one involved in Thursday’s deadly wreck, according to the FAA, which issued the alert after a chopper lost a tail-rotor drive due to a joint failur
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
(experienced a mechanical issue with its transmission)
I was gonna say, that kind of failure could actually break a helicopter 🚁 apart
Never again!
Why the so-called ‘Jesus nut’ could be a key piece of evidence in Hudson River helicopter crash
https://nypost.com/2025/04/12/us-news/jesus-nut-could-be-key-clue-in-hudson-river-helicopter-crash/
According the AI in a Google query, models newer than 2016 cost $1.9 million. Brand new up to $2.5. A well-maintained model from 1993 can be as “low” as $800,000.
I can’t begin to imagine how much a private touring package for five passengers would cost. Fuel, insurance, maintenance…
The tail rotor support frame was completely missing. The helicopter fell like a stone. No rotation of the cabin from the main rotor torque.
“I can’t begin to imagine how much a private touring package for five passengers would cost.”
Try google ...
LOL! 👍 You’re right, of course! If I can find out one, I can find out the other!
40,000 parts flying in close formation,
it’s hard to tell from the video’s I saw. It appears that the craft split up into three pieces. I speculate that the main rotor blades separated first and then the tail rotor split off. I think they call it ‘The Jesus Nut’ that holds the main rotor to the mast in most helicopters.
As far as I know, they still haven’t found the other parts.
Bet that was a wild ride at the end.
Yeah with a LOT of power / torque ......
I think the main rotor came off, shearing the tail rotor assemble. No rotation of the cabin at all from the torque of the main rotor or counter torque from the tail rotor.
The most likely failure was a sudden and violent jam in the transmission that took it from normal rotation speed to zero in a very short amount of time. That would cause huge counter torque that likely stressed the tail rotor/boom assembly to the failure point. Also break away of the the transmission/rotor assembly from the fuselage indicates shearing from both mounting points on top of the cabin.
Blancolerio has a very detailed explanation of this scenario too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Q8XuqlyMQ&t=323s
The “Jesus Nut” fell off, it’s the main nut that holds the top rotary wing on. If it fails, falls off, prepare to meet the Man in person. That’s why it’s called that.
Everything to do with a helicopter is 3-5x more expensive than an airplane of similar capabilities. Purchase, maintenance, fuel costs, rental, ... everything.
As I often say, vertical flight is hideously expensive. STOL is a far less expensive proposition in every case.
But “short” isn’t all that short. A Helio-Courier can take off in 350 feet, and a Pilatus Porter in 650, and those are exceptional cases (for any airplane that can carry a significant load).
VERTOL is only economically feasible if there’s no other option.
It’s a 20 year old chopper. I’m sure it’s had plenty of repairs. This is just kind of silly. I repaired my car last month, if some other part breaks in October it doesn’t mean anything about last month’s repair. Things break, it’s an imperfect world.
Since the rotors and the transmission separated as a complete unit I doubt the Jesus nut will be found to be the issue.
It's called that because if it falls off, only Jesus can save you.
This story is everywhere and it is heartbreaking.
But a side thought, I really think it best not to take chances with your life for a thrilling ride and to me that is exactly what a helicopter is. The chance it could do this is there. I don’t care how slim the chance is, it IS there. It is not the same as a car or a train. To go up in the air in one of those things is no way out if something goes wrong.
People do this kind of thing all the time and never think of it in this way. Hike way up on a dangerous cliff to say ‘I climbed a cliff’ and fall off, go way under the ocean in a submarine...remember that one!
Why don’t people way the odds on this kind of thing. Big deal. You see from a height. I’ll do it watching tv. It’s too dangerous to risk myself and certainly not my loved ones.
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