Bell 206 down in the Hudson

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I’m sure this sounds insane. Any chance of Cirrus style ballistic chutes that can deploy in the event of a mast bump or complete transmission gone ripped blades right off?

 

[knot4u]

Semi-rigid rotor systems don’t really come apart in terms of blade(s) separating, barring some serious preexisting damage of some kind. These two-blade systems are extremely sturdy from the blades to the blade grips to the crossover structure. Their weak point, which is still fairly sturdy but weakest in comparison, is the mast.

I'd agree, but the main rotor, mast and transmission appears to have departed as an assembly. If the engine gave up there are sprag clutches to ensure a locked up engine doesn't impede main rotor RPM for an auto rotation. I'm not entirely certain but I don't think that sort of protection is provided for a transmission failure. I'm just speculating and I'm not an expert but the only way I see this happening is if the transmission suddenly locked up and the inertia from the main rotor tore it off the airframe, no mast bump, it's rare on 206's. The transmission has an oil pump with a gage for temp and pressure, and a chip detector that would all set off some sort of warning if things got out of limits. From what I've read/heard everything was fine until it suddenly wasn't. I have a sort of mechanical outlook on most things and I suspect, I'll once again state I'm speculating without the benefit of real experience or hands on knowledge, that for some reason the transmission locked up, any one of those planetary gears could had failed and brought everything to an abrupt halt. The NTSB will provide a definitive answer after reviewing all of the available evidence and they're not afraid of offending anyone, it is what it is and that's why I love those folks.

 

[KLB]

FAA: Company involved in Hudson River helicopter crash to shut down operations immediately

The agency added that it will continue to support the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into Thursday's crash that killed a family of five and the helicopter pilot.

brooklyn.news12.com

The "review of 'license' " part makes my eye twitch.

 

[MikeD]

I'd agree, but the main rotor, mast and transmission appears to have departed as an assembly. If the engine gave up there are sprag clutches to ensure a locked up engine doesn't impede main rotor RPM for an auto rotation. I'm not entirely certain but I don't think that sort of protection is provided for a transmission failure. I'm just speculating and I'm not an expert but the only way I see this happening is if the transmission suddenly locked up and the inertia from the main rotor tore it off the airframe, no mast bump, it's rare on 206's. The transmission has an oil pump with a gage for temp and pressure, and a chip detector that would all set off some sort of warning if things got out of limits. From what I've read/heard everything was fine until it suddenly wasn't. I have a sort of mechanical outlook on most things and I suspect, I'll once again state I'm speculating without the benefit of real experience or hands on knowledge, that for some reason the transmission locked up, any one of those planetary gears could had failed and brought everything to an abrupt halt. The NTSB will provide a definitive answer after reviewing all of the available evidence and they're not afraid of offending anyone, it is what it is and that's why I love those folks.

It’s as much a material failure possibility as any other at this point. And yeah, a free wheeling unit does nothing if a transmission seizes. Again, unknown if here in this instance, but would be fairly easy to discover on material analysis.

 

[dustoff17]

Not the first time a main mast has separated inflight. Rare, but has happened. Last major one was the Norwegian Super Puma headed out to an oil platform. Entire main rotor system separated from the helicopter inflight due to metal fatigue. The fuselage instantly plummeted to earth, fatal to all onboard. Creepy was the separated main rotor system, still spinning as it slowly descended to the ground where it landed intact.


View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=49OoG3KqBTo&pp=ygUZTm9yd2F5ICBzdXBlciBwdW1hICBjcmFzaA%3D%3D

I agree. This one however, wasn't a set of spinning blades (seen before in previous accidents), this on had spinning blades, a mast, and a part of the transmission. I'm trying to rack my brain to come up with anything a pilot could to to make this happen.

 

[Lawman]

I agree. This one however, wasn't a set of spinning blades (seen before in previous accidents), this on had spinning blades, a mast, and a part of the transmission. I'm trying to rack my brain to come up with anything a pilot could to to make this happen.

Don’t worry,

The experts are on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NovemberEcho]

Here’s the rotor and transmission being pulled up.

 

[derg]

Even still, 3 adult bodies in that is a lot. Capacity on it isn’t that great even with the larger fuel cell.

I don’t imagine these tour aircraft flying anywhere near as heavy because of the need to defuel if Martha and Bert from Madison show up pushing max gross.


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Minor correction, Martha and Bert from Madison are probably kombucha-drinking hipsters.

Now Chet and Barb from Stevens Point are some useful load-crushing Sconnies!

 

[azmedic]

Minor correction, Martha and Bert from Madison are probably kombucha-drinking hipsters.

Now Chet and from Stevens Point are some useful load-crushing Sconnies!

This checks out. Those cheese curds are like crack and readily available on every street corner.


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[Richman]

Here’s the rotor and transmission being pulled up.

View attachment 83216

Unexpected

 

[Lawman]

Here’s the rotor and transmission being pulled up.

View attachment 83216

That is a crazy amount of non transmission components that came with the drive train because of the panel and location they all share.

This is looking less like a simple drivetrain failure, and starting to look like a critical structural failure of the airframe its self.


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[MikeD]

That is a crazy amount of non transmission components that came with the drive train because of the panel and location they all share.

This is looking less like a simple drivetrain failure, and starting to look like a critical structural failure of the airframe its self.


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Good time to check the transmission deck mounts, and examine the structure both outward and inward from there.

@Lawman @Ian_J separate sidebar. Was a 5.2 earthquake in San Diego this morning. Was flying training for a pilot here in an Astar, just touching down on the helipad. Bird starts shaking. I say “you’re in ground reasonance, pick it up!” Pilot did so to 3 AGL and landed again, only to find out it wasn’t the helo, it was the ground itself.

 

[invadertim]

Anyone else think an emergency inspection AD is coming down for 206’s in the next day or two?

 

[Ian_J]

Good time to check the transmission deck mounts, and examine the structure both outward and inward from there.

@Lawman @Ian_J separate sidebar. Was a 5.2 earthquake in San Diego this morning. Was flying training for a pilot here in an Astar, just touching down on the helipad. Bird starts shaking. I say “you’re in ground reasonance, pick it up!” Pilot did so to 3 AGL and landed again, only to find out it wasn’t the helo, it was the ground itself.

Good lord. I would have said the same thing. That’s nuts.

 

[Minuteman]

Company CEO Michael Roth apparently fired the DO for voluntarily grounding the fleet. Thirty minutes after sending the FAA that email, the CEO emailed the FAA to say he didn't authorize the grounding and the DO was no longer employed there. So the FAA shut them down for not having a DO.

Apparently. FAA emergency order grounds NYC helicopter tour company involved in deadly crash

Appears to be the same CEO that praised another of his pilats for setting an aircraft down in the Hudson in 2013 after an engine failure. (Hero helicopter pilot is ready to fly again)

 

[Murdoughnut]

That appears to be a crash from 2019.

The rotor and gearbox separated in this recent crash.

Oh weird - my bad

 

[NovemberEcho]

That appears to be a crash from 2019.

The rotor and gearbox separated in this recent crash.

Oh weird - my bad

That’s the one where the passengers backpack or camera strap caught the fuel cutoff or something like that, and although everyone survived the touchdown it capsized and they couldn’t undo their harnesses and drowned except for the pilot iirc.

 

[Skåning]

I was surprised at how intact it was when they pulled it out ...

View attachment 83224

Kinda funny, didn’t know the army had boats

Edit after googling:
So does the Air Force

What’s next? The navy is gonna have airplanes???

 

[bp]

Kinda funny, didn’t know the army had boats


View attachment 83235

that floating dock operation they tried in Gaza were army boats driven across the atlantic from Virginia at like 7 knots

 

[Ian_J]

Kinda funny, didn’t know the army had boats


View attachment 83235

Edit after googling:
So does the Air Force

View attachment 83236

What’s next? The navy is gonna have airplanes???

Fun fact… the boat unit in my State’s National Guard had the worst overall safety record of any unit in the state. Those boat folks are nuts!