Why the so-called ‘Jesus nut’ could be a key piece of evidence in Hudson River helicopter crash

A fist-sized portion of alloy known arsenic nan “Jesus nut” could beryllium a important portion of grounds successful the horrific chopper crash that killed a Spanish family of 5 and their aviator successful Manhattan earlier this week.

The alleged “Jesus nut” holds nan main rotor to nan mast of immoderate helicopters — and immoderate experts person speculated that it could person been why nan chopper broke isolated midair.

“What appears to person happened pinch this peculiar chopper is that nan rotor, nan main rotor… had detached, because successful 1 video we spot nan blades spinning distant from nan helicopter,” aviation expert Julian Bray told The Sun.

“But this appears to person sliced done nan backmost half of nan helicopter, truthful nan fuselage past drops for illustration a chromatic into nan stream Hudson correct other Pier 41.”

Bray besides said that it’s modular process to regularly cheque nan “Jesus nut.”

“There is simply a peculiar process which has to beryllium checked each clip it’s serviced, and it’s known arsenic nan ‘Jesus bolt’ … because without that nan full point will autumn apart,” he said.

“It’s either defective aliases wasn’t tightened up, aliases for immoderate logic it sheared.”

The chopper’s rotors are still missing, nan National Transportation Safety Board said astatine a property convention Friday.

The word “Jesus nut” was astir apt coined during nan Vietnam War — referring to nan truth that if it happened to detach, nan only point nan unit could do was believe to Jesus, according to Technology.org.

The tragic clang connected Thursday day took nan lives of the pilot, Navy seasoned Sean Johnson, 36, and a family of visitors — Agustín Escobar, 49, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their 3 children — Augustin, 10, Mercedes, 8, and Victor, 4 — successful tow.

Mercedes would’ve celebrated her 9th day connected nan Big Apple trip.

The family embarked connected nan Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV sightseeing chopper, which collapsed apart in midair and plunged into nan Hudson River 25 minutes into its circuit of Manhattan.

The craft had a mechanical issue pinch its transmission past September, according to Federal Aviation Administration data. By then, it had logged 12,728 hours of formation time.

The Escobar family’s relatives posted a heartfelt statement connected X connected Friday to grant them.

“There are nary words to picture what we are experiencing, nor to convey you for nan warmth received,” said nan letter, posted connected X by Joan Camprubí Montal, and signed by 19 members of nan Escobar and Camprubí Montal families.

“These are very difficult times, but optimism and joyousness person ever characterized our family. We want to sphere nan representation of a happy and agreed family, successful nan sweetest infinitesimal of their lives.”