On Thursday afternoon, a tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New Jersey, killing all five passengers on board, including Agustín Escobar and his family, as well as the pilot, Sean Johnson. The crash was caused by the detachment of the rotor blades and tail boom midair, leaving the pilot with no way to control the descent. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the crash, looking into the operator of the helicopter, New York Helicopters, and its maintenance history. Divers are searching for remaining components of the aircraft, such as the main rotor and transmission. Experts, including Brandt Anderson and Robert Joslin, believe that structural or impact failures may have led to the detachment of the tail rotor. They emphasize that such fatal crashes are rare, especially for the Bell 206 helicopter involved, and are urging the public to share any photos or videos that could aid in the investigation. The NTSB has found such materials to be crucial in past investigations, such as a midair collision in Ketchikan, Alaska, in 2019. While it is still unclear how the helicopter broke apart, experts believe excessive flapping of the rotor blades may have resulted in a “mast bump” causing the detachment. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities analyze the wreckage and evidence in search of a cause for the tragic crash.
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