"Chilling Last Words: What a NYC Helicopter Pilot Said Moments Before the Fatal Crash Leaves the Internet Speculating"

“There’s no indication they had any control over the craft. No pilot could have prevented that accident once they lost the lifts,” he told the Associated Press. “It’s like a rock falling to the ground. It’s heartbreaking.”

The victims “were d*ad as soon as whatever happened happened,” he added.

As numerous theories came about, former combat helicopter pilot Jesse Matchey “mast bumping seems plausible/likely.”

“In which case, the pilot error could be another potential contributing factor,” he added in a tweet.

Debris from this afternoon’s helicopter crash in the Hudson river floating in the water, including what looks to be sneaker. pic.twitter.com/fICu3oKC99

— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) April 10, 2025

Mast bumping occurs in helicopters with teetering rotor systems, like the Bell 206, when excessive cyclic control movements lead to the rotor hub tilting too far. This can cause the rotor blades to strike the tail boom or even break the helicopter apart mid-air.

In cases of engine failure, helicopters are designed to perform a maneuver called autorotation, which allows pilots to control their descent and land safely.

Even if the engine is no longer supplying power to the main rotor, the rotor blades continue to spin due to the upward flow of air as the helicopter descends.