A helicopter crash into the Hudson River on Thursday resulted from mast bumping, a dangerous phenomenon affecting semi-rigid rotor helicopters like the Bell 206L4 LongRanger. Eyewitness footage indicated the rotors and helicopter body separated midair, a process explained by the physics of rotor blades. The rotor hub can severely collide with the mast, causing catastrophic failure. Additionally, improper control movements can result in the flexible blades striking the helicopter body. All aboard, including a family of Spanish tourists, tragically perished in the incident.
Eyewitness video showed the rotors and the body of the helicopter separating in midair. The phenomenon is unique to helicopters with semi-rigid rotors, like the Bell 206L4 LongRanger.
The phenomenon of mast bumping arises from the physics of the rotor blades. Each helicopter blade is like a long, thin wing that generates lift as it carves through the air.
To visualize the relationship of the mast and the rotor hub, says Robert Joslin... Think of a drinking cup upside down on the top of a broom handle.
If the rear of the disk is moving downwards, the rotor comes down and actually hits the body of the helicopter. That's exactly what happened.
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