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UPDATE: The transmission is shown in this photo still attached to the rotor system, which means the failure was downstream from the rotor system.
Today's crash of a tour helicopter in New York City rang bells reminding me of issues we had in my helicopter days flying for U.S. Air Force search and rescue in Alaska. We were equipped with the Sikorsky HH-3E Jolly Green Giant and routinely had issues with parts failing or being recalled due to not being machine-tooled to specifications. In other words, fake parts.
The 'Jesus Nut' is slang for the bolt that holds the rotor system to the mast.
Jesus nut is quite literally just that – a nut. The importance comes from its place in the helicopter – Jesus nut is responsible for holding the main rotor to the mast. Technical name of the Jesus nut is the main rotor retaining nut.
Although we don't have any information on this specific accident, it is likely the 'Jesus Nut' failed, and was likely a counterfeit part, in my humble estimation.
"I have 1,000 hours in the Bell 206. The Jesus Nut sticks out to me as a possibility, said CDM contributor Darin Gaub, former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and editor of our MontanaSentinel.press, and ArmedForces.press.
"Not a certainty but it's one of my first thoughts. But so does tail boom and drive shaft failure."
The 'mast bumping' theory being circulated is certainly possible, but we don't have evidence of extreme turbulence to cause that, so in my estimation a mechanical failure is more likely.
@CollinRugg JUST IN: 6 people are confirmed to be deceased in the Hudson River helicopter crash, according to the Associated Press. 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 "flew off." "I don't know what happened to the tail, but it just straight-up dropped. It dropped feet away from Holland Tunnel, and I can't imagine if it hit it," said Avi Rakesh. The passengers were on vacation with their children taking a tour of Manhattan, according to Fox News.
It was spinning rapidly, that means tail rotor failure
The fuselage fell stationary, the separated rotor system was spinning rapidly of its own inertia. Watch the video.