May 8, 2025
New York NY A sightseeing helicopter operated by New York Helicopter Tours tragically crashed into the Hudson River on April 10th, claiming the lives of all six individuals on board. A preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on May 7th sheds initial light on the harrowing incident, stating the single-engine Bell 206 helicopter "suddenly" broke apart mid-air before plunging into the water.

The flight, which departed from a downtown Manhattan heliport at approximately 2:58 p.m., carried a pilot and a family of five visiting from Spain. The NTSB report indicates that about 17 minutes into the flight, while traveling south over the Hudson River, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic structural failure.

Surveillance footage and audio evidence detailed in the report reveal the helicopter traveling southward before it "suddenly separated into three major sections." These sections, all recovered from the wreckage, were identified as:

• The fuselage containing the engine.
• The main rotor system, including both rotor blades, the transmission, and the roof-beam structure.
• The tail boom with the tail rotor.

Witness accounts corroborated the visual evidence, with several individuals reporting hearing multiple loud "bangs" originating from the helicopter just before it disintegrated and fell into the river.

The debris field was extensive, with wreckage found submerged in various locations within the river and floating on the surface. Notably, debris was also recovered from a rooftop near the Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey, highlighting the force and trajectory of the disintegration.

This devastating crash has once again brought the safety of New York City's helicopter tourism industry under intense scrutiny, drawing significant media attention worldwide. The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the accident.

It's important to note that the NTSB's preliminary report does not offer any conclusions regarding the cause of the breakup. Typically, a full and detailed investigation to determine the probable cause of such an accident can take a year or longer.

The victims included a Spanish family of five, one of whom was an executive at the tech giant Siemens, along with the pilot. They were on a sightseeing tour with New York Helicopter Tours, a popular way for tourists to experience aerial views of the city's iconic landmarks.

The NTSB report outlines the flight path of the helicopter, noting it followed a "teardrop pattern" south of the Statue of Liberty before heading north along the east side of the Hudson River. The aircraft then flew past the George Washington Bridge, made a U-turn, and proceeded south along the New Jersey side of the river.

As the helicopter approached the ventilation towers of the Holland Tunnel near Jersey City, it was flying at an altitude between 625 and 650 feet. The report further details a rapid sequence of events where the helicopter's altitude briefly increased to 675 feet before it began a sharp descent, ultimately crashing into the water.

Recovery efforts for the wreckage spanned several days, involving numerous crews and investigators. The NTSB report revealed a critical piece of information: the helicopter was not equipped with video or data recording devices, commonly known as "black boxes," which could have provided valuable insights into the final moments of the flight.  Interestingly, the report mentioned that "photos of the pilot taken just before the helicopter departed indicated that he was wearing computer-augmented sunglasses, which had video and audio recording capability." However, these sunglasses were not recovered from the crash site.