What is mast bumping and did it cause Hudson River helicopter crash? What we know

A helicopter crashed into Manhattan's Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six people on board

Updated on: Apr 11, 2025, 04:14:38 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A helicopter crashed into Manhattan's Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six people on board. While the cause of the crash is unclear, a former combat helicopter pilot, Jesse Matchey, told News Nation that it looks like a case of mast bumping.

A view shows the scene of a helicopter crash on the Hudson River near lower Manhattan, as seen from Jersey City, (Ryan Card via REUTERS)

In videos posted on social media, the chopper could be seen breaking midair before crashing upside-down into the river. The New York Fire Department said it received a report of the crash at 3:17 PM All six people aboard were killed, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

"Due to a helicopter crash in the Hudson River, in the vicinity of the West Side Highway and Spring Street, expect emergency vehicles and traffic delays in the surrounding areas," the NYPD said in an update on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

Lesly Camacho, a hostess at a restaurant along the river in Hoboken, told AP: “There was a bunch of smoke coming out. It was spinning pretty fast, and it landed in the water really hard."

While the official cause of the crash is not known, former pilot Jesse Matchey said it could be mast bumping.

"I have no details, but it appears the main rotor detached and sliced the tail boom off (not sure how)," Matchey posted on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

"It looks like it was a bell 206 (perhaps a long ranger)…mast bumping seems plausible/likely. In which case, the pilot error could be another potential contributing factor," he further added.

What is mast bumping?

Mast bumping is a helicopter issue where the rotor hub strikes the mast, often in two-bladed, teetering rotor systems like Bell models. It happens during low-G maneuvers or abrupt control inputs, disrupting rotor balance. This can cause the hub to hit the mast, leading to loss of control or rotor separation, risking a crash.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.