FLASH
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Experts are analyzing all scenarios regarding the causes of the fatal helicopter crash that killed 6 people in the Hudson River in New York, while official investigations are underway.
Experts agree that such serious problems in a helicopter are not common and that we should wait for the analysis of the black box to provide a clear answer as to what caused the accident.
The tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six people on board, a Spanish family with their three children and the pilot.
Michael Roth, CEO of operating company New York Helicopter Tours, cited two possible causes:
Bird strike in flight
Mechanical damage to helicopter propellers
It is important to note that single-engine Bell 206 helicopters require rigorous maintenance and can be prone to mechanical failure if not properly maintained.
Possible scenarios
Furthermore, Jesús Antonio Maturana de la Torre, who has more than 35 years of experience as a helicopter engineer for the Civil Protection in Spain, speaking to Euronews, gave two possible scenarios that could explain the loss of the main propeller and, as a collateral loss, of the rear propeller.
In particular, he emphasized that these are theories based on possible mechanical problems that could lead to this result and that we will have to wait for debris analysis to be able to confirm these theories or if there are any additional external elements in the equation.
JUST IN: 6 people are confirmed to be deceased in the Hudson River helicopter crash, according to the Associated Press.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 10, 2025
The chopper's propeller was seen detached from the helicopter, spinning into the water.
According to a witness who spoke with NBC, the chopper blade just... pic.twitter.com/EMpWMJC9el
The first, and perhaps least likely, theory is that the problem is caused by the main rotor shaft, which due to malfunction or poor maintenance.
This can happen if there was a problem with the quality or condition of the rotor shaft or the connections and screws of the plate that support the blades.
If it loses the main propeller, it will immediately lose lift and begin to spin uncontrollably. This, combined with a sudden increase in the spin of the tail propeller, could cause it to break.
The second theory concerns a serious failure of the main gearbox, which, if it were to suddenly lock up during operation, could cause the main shaft to break. This theory is also supported by a helicopter pilot, who prefers to remain anonymous, who has seen gearbox problems in other accidents and would explain the breakage of both rotors.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 10, 2025
Helicopter crashes near the Hudson River in New York City pic.twitter.com/mVhw3XH6Dk
Iván Márquez, an aeronautical engineer with experience in helicopter simulation who works for Airbus, also said that it is clear that the main rotor had separated from the cabin due to some kind of fracture and that it had broken during operation, as it was still spinning when it fell into the river.
What is not clear is whether the problem starts with the main rotor or the tail rotor (anti-rotor) as it is not clear from the images whether the helicopter first lost the anti-rotor and the uncontrolled spin resulted in the main rotor breaking.
According to the engineer, it is very strange for the main rotor to break off. Seeing as it falls without spinning, the possibility of losing the tail rotor at first seems unlikely.
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