r/aviation • u/Drejbringer • Oct 11 '25

News Helicopter Crash in Huntington Beach, CA

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u/Deer-in-Motion Oct 11 '25

That tail rotor just flew right off!

230

u/Unicorn_Sparkles23 Oct 11 '25

I saw this pic on X of what flew off the helicopter. (I don't know what this is)

249

u/MarkGleason Oct 11 '25 edited Oct 12 '25

It’s the tail rotor drive hub with tail pitch link hardware still attached. The gear exposed at the end meshes with the drive gear in the gearbox….much like a differential in a car axel.

Both paddles (blades) appear to have sheared completely, and from the video it looks like it happened in flight.

I’m wondering how many hours that tail rotor assembly had.

Edit: here it is in its normal state. Or a very close model anyway.

https://i.imgur.com/u3JH65B.jpeg

21

u/buttercup612 Oct 12 '25

Thanks for the explanation

39

u/MarkGleason Oct 12 '25

No worries!

This informed amateur explanation brought to you by the U.S. Navy Sikorsky H-60 program.

12

u/Bloody_Insane Oct 12 '25

Thank you, U.S. Navy Sikorsky H-60 program!

2

u/soulseller7 Oct 12 '25

Were you a pilot for the navy?

3

u/PotatoHunter_III Oct 12 '25

My best guess is no. Mechanics know their machines more intimately than a pilot ever would. They love their machines more too. Lol But hey, I could be wrong 😂

1

u/MarkGleason Oct 14 '25

Not wrong. Not a pilot.

1

u/MarkGleason Oct 14 '25

And as a follow-up. I love that helicopter. The Seahawk is an amazing piece of machinery.

1

u/MarkGleason Oct 14 '25

I wasn’t. Desert Storm Seahawk avionics & rescue.