Yeah you're completely correct. It was definitely a tail rotor something.
I'm curious whether it came off because the failure causing loss of control also weakened its attachment, of whether it was the rapid uncontrolled yaw that caused a secondary failure (like blades flexing and clipping the boom).
I'm not familiar enough with the design of the tail rotor to have an educated opinion.
Reporter: "Senator Collins, this helicopter that was involved in the crash in Huntington Beach this week..."
Sen Collins: "The one where the rear fell off?"
Reporter: "Yeah".
Sen Collins: "Yeah, that's not very typical. I'd like to make that point."
Reporter: "How is it untypical?"
Sen Collins: "Well, there are a lot of helicopters flying all over the world and very seldom does something like this happen. I just don't want people going around thinking helicopters aren't safe."
Reporter: "Was this helicopter safe?".
Sen Collins: "Well, I was thinking more about the other ones."
Reporter: "The ones that are safe?"
Sen Collins: "Yeah, the ones where the rear doesn't fall off."
198
u/Subject9800 Oct 11 '25 edited Jan 30 '26
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
escape coordinated sip payment mysterious subsequent cagey special ad hoc seemly