NYC Helicopter Crash
Discussion
BBC said:
Family of five and pilot killed after tourist helicopter crashes into Hudson River

BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c871gxg09jjt
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
It is without tail rotor and main rotor. A bit alarming that there are manoeuvres or situations which can lead to the main rotor striking the tail and ripping them both off, as appears to have happened here. A terrifying last few seconds for the holidaymakers. I'm sure there have been incidents before with NYC sightseeing helicopters too.
Hub said:
It is without tail rotor and main rotor. A bit alarming that there are manoeuvres or situations which can lead to the main rotor striking the tail and ripping them both off, as appears to have happened here. A terrifying last few seconds for the holidaymakers.
I'm sure there have been incidents before with NYC sightseeing helicopters too.
There have. Tail strikes are not that rare as a cause of helicopter or autogyro accidents. Adding a touch of negative manoeuvering input - such as a sudden nose down movement, can result in the main rotors clattering the tail boom - usually with catastrophic results. I'm sure there have been incidents before with NYC sightseeing helicopters too.
Main rotors can sometimes simply detach completely from the drive shaft - often due to fatigue failures. There was a major crash with a civilian Super Puma operating a North Sea oil rig flight a few years ago where the entire main rotor came away.
Hub said:
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
It is without tail rotor and main rotor. A bit alarming that there are manoeuvres or situations which can lead to the main rotor striking the tail and ripping them both off, as appears to have happened here. A terrifying last few seconds for the holidaymakers. I'm sure there have been incidents before with NYC sightseeing helicopters too.
If you want to be reminded how stupid some people are, if you dig into comments on X it's a government supplied mega laser that fired at the aircraft and shot it down.... FFS
Greendubber said:
Hub said:
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
It is without tail rotor and main rotor. A bit alarming that there are manoeuvres or situations which can lead to the main rotor striking the tail and ripping them both off, as appears to have happened here. A terrifying last few seconds for the holidaymakers. I'm sure there have been incidents before with NYC sightseeing helicopters too.
If you want to be reminded how stupid some people are, if you dig into comments on X it's a government supplied mega laser that fired at the aircraft and shot it down.... FFS
Greendubber said:
Hub said:
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
It is without tail rotor and main rotor. A bit alarming that there are manoeuvres or situations which can lead to the main rotor striking the tail and ripping them both off, as appears to have happened here. A terrifying last few seconds for the holidaymakers. I'm sure there have been incidents before with NYC sightseeing helicopters too.
If you want to be reminded how stupid some people are, if you dig into comments on X it's a government supplied mega laser that fired at the aircraft and shot it down.... FFS
Helicopters crash occasionally, they are complicated machines that are often operated in close proximity to stuff they can hit, and they have the added jeopardy that you can chop your own tail off if you mishandle the controls. How often does a "tail bump" happen, is it easy to do.
I see Dave Fishwick, he of "Bank of Dave" fame enthusiastically explaining helicopers, their costs and how they are operated, really is worth seeking his videos out.
I have never actually been in a Helicopter, still want to despite seeing things like this, you can drop dead on the floor quite effectively having never lived, and avoid all the stuff that might involve death because you might die.
J4CKO said:
I have never actually been in a Helicopter, still want to despite seeing things like this, you can drop dead on the floor quite effectively having never lived, and avoid all the stuff that might involve death because you might die.
I have, once, and I said afterwards "never again". The whole thing is just far to flimsy for my liking. It was like flying in a badly built kit car, where you could see daylight between gaps in the bodywork. Plus the noise. I don't think of myself as risk averse, I fly in planes around 50-60 times a year and used to ride a 900cc sports bike. But these things fall out of the sky far too often, so it's a hard NO from me.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
J4CKO said:
I have never actually been in a Helicopter, still want to despite seeing things like this, you can drop dead on the floor quite effectively having never lived, and avoid all the stuff that might involve death because you might die.
I have, once, and I said afterwards "never again". The whole thing is just far to flimsy for my liking. It was like flying in a badly built kit car, where you could see daylight between gaps in the bodywork. Plus the noise. I don't think of myself as risk averse, I fly in planes around 50-60 times a year and used to ride a 900cc sports bike. But these things fall out of the sky far too often, so it's a hard NO from me.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
J4CKO said:
I have never actually been in a Helicopter, still want to despite seeing things like this, you can drop dead on the floor quite effectively having never lived, and avoid all the stuff that might involve death because you might die.
I have, once, and I said afterwards "never again". The whole thing is just far to flimsy for my liking. It was like flying in a badly built kit car, where you could see daylight between gaps in the bodywork. Plus the noise. I don't think of myself as risk averse, I fly in planes around 50-60 times a year and used to ride a 900cc sports bike. But these things fall out of the sky far too often, so it's a hard NO from me.
Crikey, on the second video you can see the rotors tumble to the ground with what looks like a chunk of the gearbox still attached. Really shocking. Not just a Jesus bolt failure here then....
That looks like a Longranger There's a big sign in them that say 'Low G Pushovers Prohibited' or something along those lines.
Most likely boom strike, but could be mechanical failure. Just as easy I would suggest to overtorque and destroy the gearbox as a boom strike. I guess any pre-crash maintenance records will show if the former is more likely.
I was at Thruxton when the Twin Squirrel crashed after having a new gearbox fitted about 20 years ago. Still makes me sad. Overtorque on the new gearbox as the factory had changed the input shaft anti corrosion coatings and not told everyone.
That looks like a Longranger There's a big sign in them that say 'Low G Pushovers Prohibited' or something along those lines.
Most likely boom strike, but could be mechanical failure. Just as easy I would suggest to overtorque and destroy the gearbox as a boom strike. I guess any pre-crash maintenance records will show if the former is more likely.
I was at Thruxton when the Twin Squirrel crashed after having a new gearbox fitted about 20 years ago. Still makes me sad. Overtorque on the new gearbox as the factory had changed the input shaft anti corrosion coatings and not told everyone.
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
added video I could find:
The footage of the helicopter in the dive is unrelated, and from 2019:added video I could find:
https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/fact-check/no-vi...
Yertis said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
J4CKO said:
I have never actually been in a Helicopter, still want to despite seeing things like this, you can drop dead on the floor quite effectively having never lived, and avoid all the stuff that might involve death because you might die.
I have, once, and I said afterwards "never again". The whole thing is just far to flimsy for my liking. It was like flying in a badly built kit car, where you could see daylight between gaps in the bodywork. Plus the noise. I don't think of myself as risk averse, I fly in planes around 50-60 times a year and used to ride a 900cc sports bike. But these things fall out of the sky far too often, so it's a hard NO from me.
I was chatting to him the other day and he said there was a rumour in the village that a local contractor chap had bought a helicopter
My mate laughed .. but then had to go and see him as he's doing some work
At the back of his house are some sheds and my mate asks him what's this about you buying a helicopter ?
To which he's shown into a shed and there is a helicopter sitting there
My mate says wtf have you got a licence can you fly it?
Answer no but it can't be that hard can it and no one will know anyway
This guys in his 70's

Earthdweller said:
A mate of mine has a holiday place right up the north west tip of Scotland
I was chatting to him the other day and he said there was a rumour in the village that a local contractor chap had bought a helicopter
My mate laughed .. but then had to go and see him as he's doing some work
At the back of his house are some sheds and my mate asks him what's this about you buying a helicopter ?
To which he's shown into a shed and there is a helicopter sitting there
My mate says wtf have you got a licence can you fly it?
Answer no but it can't be that hard can it and no one will know anyway
This guys in his 70's

Exactly this. Colin McRae's PPLH had expired when he binned his helicopter killing his son and son's friend.I was chatting to him the other day and he said there was a rumour in the village that a local contractor chap had bought a helicopter
My mate laughed .. but then had to go and see him as he's doing some work
At the back of his house are some sheds and my mate asks him what's this about you buying a helicopter ?
To which he's shown into a shed and there is a helicopter sitting there
My mate says wtf have you got a licence can you fly it?
Answer no but it can't be that hard can it and no one will know anyway
This guys in his 70's

I spent a lot of time in Southern California, most of the fixed wing general aviation lot were taught to fly by a chum and were unlicenced!
durbster said:
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
added video I could find:
The footage of the helicopter in the dive is unrelated, and from 2019:added video I could find:
https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/fact-check/no-vi...
rodericb said:
durbster said:
rodericb said:
The footage of it is full-on. The video I saw showed it pulling a pretty steep dive but nothing between that and it falling to the ground sans tail rotor.
added video I could find:
The footage of the helicopter in the dive is unrelated, and from 2019:added video I could find:
https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/fact-check/no-vi...
That said, terrible incident and very sad for all involved. Lucky it landed in the river and not over land as there would have been many casualties. Be interested to hear the official cause when they work it out.
catfood12 said:
Earthdweller said:
A mate of mine has a holiday place right up the north west tip of Scotland
I was chatting to him the other day and he said there was a rumour in the village that a local contractor chap had bought a helicopter
My mate laughed .. but then had to go and see him as he's doing some work
At the back of his house are some sheds and my mate asks him what's this about you buying a helicopter ?
To which he's shown into a shed and there is a helicopter sitting there
My mate says wtf have you got a licence can you fly it?
Answer no but it can't be that hard can it and no one will know anyway
This guys in his 70's

Exactly this. Colin McRae's PPLH had expired when he binned his helicopter killing his son and son's friend.I was chatting to him the other day and he said there was a rumour in the village that a local contractor chap had bought a helicopter
My mate laughed .. but then had to go and see him as he's doing some work
At the back of his house are some sheds and my mate asks him what's this about you buying a helicopter ?
To which he's shown into a shed and there is a helicopter sitting there
My mate says wtf have you got a licence can you fly it?
Answer no but it can't be that hard can it and no one will know anyway
This guys in his 70's

I spent a lot of time in Southern California, most of the fixed wing general aviation lot were taught to fly by a chum and were unlicenced!
TriumphStag3.0V8 said:
Without wishing to be facetious............
..........and yet a few words later, you are.For clarity, it was the streamers chat which got him to watch this breaking news in real time, so that was the raw unfiltered reaction of someone who is the equivalent of a "random man on the street" seeing it, hence their admitted and understandable lack of knowledge.
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