No way to survive the Hudson Helicopter crash 4/10/2025

[727Sky]

This is an update on the helicopter crash which killed 6 people on April 10, 2025. I have hundreds if not 1000s of hours flying a Bell 206 Jet Ranger and if maintained they are a great helicopter IMO. For this pilot to cause mask bumping and have the main rotor cut the tailboom off will be a mystery to me as it would take a massive abrupt control input to manage such a feat. 
In such a situation the Helicopter becomes a non-flying brick and does not have the aerodynamics of even a lawn dart. Bad but quick way to go... Sorry for the family RIP
 

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

I didn't think I was possible for a pilot to break off their own tail on a 757 on a normal takeoff, but American 587 proved that by excessively stomping on alternating inputs you can cause instant metal fatigue that rips off the entire tail.

So maybe it was like that? Maybe he pulled back insanely fast to avoid something and cut off his own tail section.

Perhaps he was doing a little roller coaster flying to please his wealthy clients and entertain the kids?

Do charter helicopters have FDRs? Are they required to have them?

On what I just learned it's either a ridiculous amount of input or a mechanical failure.

I don't know why, but I'm fascinated by those "seconds to disaster" type investigation shows. And these crashes always remind me of ones I've seen. Like AA 587.

Optional side question:

** i'm guessing you're a veteran pilot. I would like your input to settle a long standing claim so I can text them and gloat about it.

My roommate had an insane amount of simulated flight hours. Hundreds during covid alone. Just staring at a simulated cockpit flying itself. And he would always act like he was an actual pilot because of the mighty realism settings, rudder pedals, virtual cockpit, and integrated real world data.

His grandest claim was when he swore he could land any Next Gen 737 on a visual crosswind without ever being in the cockpit of real one once. He swore he could land at Runway 27 at San Diegobin wind from MS Flight Simulator experience alone.

And I had to mock him for this and that he'd be lucky to pull off runway 9 without hitting Point Loma.

So which one of us is right?

[727Sky]

I didn't think I was possible for a pilot to break off their own tail on a 757 on a normal takeoff, but American 587 proved that by excessively stomping on alternating inputs you can cause instant metal fatigue that rips off the entire tail.

So maybe it was like that? Maybe he pulled back insanely fast to avoid something and cut off his own tail section.

Perhaps he was doing a little roller coaster flying to please his wealthy clients and entertain the kids?

Do charter helicopters have FDRs? Are they required to have them?

On what I just learned it's either a ridiculous amount of input or a mechanical failure.

I don't know why, but I'm fascinated by those "seconds to disaster" type investigation shows. And these crashes always remind me of ones I've seen. Like AA 587.

Optional side question:

** i'm guessing you're a veteran pilot. I would like your input to settle a long standing claim so I can text them and gloat about it.

My roommate had an insane amount of simulated flight hours. Hundreds during covid alone. Just staring at a simulated cockpit flying itself. And he would always act like he was an actual pilot because of the mighty realism settings, rudder pedals, virtual cockpit, and integrated real world data.

His grandest claim was when he swore he could land any Next Gen 737 on a visual crosswind without ever being in the cockpit of real one once. He swore he could land at Runway 27 at San Diegobin wind from MS Flight Simulator experience alone.

And I had to mock him for this and that he'd be lucky to pull off runway 9 without hitting Point Loma.

So which one of us is right?

I am wondering if a bird came through the windscreen and hit the pilot in the face making him involuntarily yank on the cyclic ? A helicopter has many moving parts that all need to work... to my knowledge they do not have any type of flight recorder on a 206 Jet Ranger...but I am long removed from the current state of N.Y. 121 helicopter operations. 

Full motion simulators are the way airline pilots are trained as we can do all kinds of emergencies without breaking anything that cost big bucks.

After passing simulator you the go to fly the real thing for 3 take-offs and 3 landings almost always at night..

The next time you fly a real aircraft is with passengers and with an IOE ( Initial Operating Experience ) instructor for so many hours until the IOE says you are good to go. Depending on the airline you will fly as a first office for a few or several years until seniority lets you move to the left seat as a Captain (more checking and training..).  

It is a good system for getting people qualified... We used to hand fly the aircraft regularly up to 18,000 and hand fly approaches to maintain proficiency  but before I retired they were already training push button pilots instead of stick and rudder guys. There are 2-737 crashes that would not have happened if the idiot pilots would have flown the aircraft instead of pushing buttons.

[MotorexGTR32]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/pilot-hudson-...t-ceo-says

The pilot of the doomed aircraft reportedly radioed about needing to refuel minutes before the helicopter crashed into the chilly waters, according to New York Helicopter Tour CEO Michael Roth, whose company operated the helicopter.

"[The pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive," Roth told The Telegraph.

I saw a video on fb in my reels and was horrified after saw the helicopter crash. Never seen anything like it before. We won’t know what’s the cause of the crash until we get more information about it. My speculation is that it’s possible to be pilot’s error by the dangerous maneuver of mast bump.

[BeyondKnowledge]

I don't see the radio message about the refueling being out of the ordinary. Just telling the ground staff that this helicopter needed fuel this time landing. Telling them to be ready wih fueling equipment.

The questions that need answers are what caused the mast bump? Was it pilot error, pilot medical problem or mechanical failure?

We know the main rotor hit the tail boom. We also know that caused a shock load to the gearbox mounts hat broke them off the aircraft, the main rotor with gearbox is seen in one video still in the air after the fuselage is in the water. We don't know what caused the main rotor to hit the tail.

Only examining the mechanics of the helicopter and forensic evidence from the pilot will answer these questions because it is not likely there is a flight recorder.