NTSB Report Reveals Helicopter that Crashed into Hudson River Killing Six Made 'Loud Bangs' Before Breaking into Pieces
The NTSB report revealed that witnesses heard explosive sounds coming from the New York Helicopter Tours aircraft while it was flying above the Hudson River just a few moments before the fatal crash on April 10. Right after the explosive sounds were heard, security footage captured the moment the helicopter lost control before breaking into three main components: the fuselage, the main rotor, and the tail boom.
Big Bang and an Explosion
The Bell 206 helicopter crashed into the Hudson River only 17 minutes after taking off. The NTSB has not yet determined the exact cause of the deadly crash and said that the investigation is still ongoing.
Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive from Spain, along with his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children—ages four, eight, and ten—were killed when the sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River.
The family was visiting New York on vacation to celebrate one of their daughters' birthdays.
Dramatic footage showed a rotor blade falling into the water. Aviation specialists believe the helicopter likely crashed after the main rotor blades detached from it and struck the tail section.
The NTSB's preliminary report also revealed that the pilot, Sean Johnson, had recently returned from a 10-day vacation.
Johnson followed a 10-days-on, 10-days-off work schedule, a standard procedure followed by pilots. He had over 790 hours of flying experience, and the fatal flight was his eighth of the day. The previous seven flights in the same helicopter had all gone smoothly.
During the flight, Johnson was wearing smart sunglasses equipped with video and audio recording features, but the device was never found at the crash scene.
A Lot Still Remains Unanswered
Pieces of the helicopter were found as far away as Hoboken, New Jersey, including on a rooftop near a transit facility, according to the report. Michael Roth, 71, the owner of New York Helicopter—the company that operated the tour—claimed the helicopter was running low on fuel before it went down.
"He [the pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn't arrive," Roth told The Telegraph.
Roth said that he was devastated by the crash and concurred with other aviation experts who believe the footage indicates that the main rotor blades had broken off from the helicopter. "The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren't on the helicopter," he told the New York Post.
"And I haven't seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don't know."
At the time of the crash, it was cloudy, and winds were ranging from 10 to 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 25 mph.
Although the skies were overcast due to an approaching weather system bringing light rain later in the day, visibility at ground level was clear at around 10 miles. The water temperature was around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
02-08-2025
- Straits Times
US Army helicopter in deadly Washington crash had technical issues
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said that there is a possibility that what the crew saw was very different than what the true altitude was. NEW YORK - An investigative hearing into a deadly mid-air collision of a US Army helicopter and a passenger plane that killed 67 people in Washington has revealed a discrepancy in the chopper's altitude displays. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the US agency tasked with examining major accidents, held hearings from July 30 to Aug 1, with rigorous questioning of experts and various other parties including regulators and air traffic controllers. There were no survivors in the Jan 29 mid-air collision involving the Sikorsky Black Hawk military helicopter and a Bombardier CRJ700 operated by a subsidiary of American Airlines. The passenger plane from Wichita, Kansas was coming in to land at Reagan National Airport – just a few miles from the White House – when the Army helicopter on a training flight collided with it. After examining flight recorder data, the NTSB first reported a discrepancy in the helicopter's altitude readings on Feb 14. As part of the investigation, tests were conducted with three of the same helicopter models – Sikorsky Black Hawk Lima – belonging to the same battalion. The findings revealed this week showed differences between the altitude indicated by the radar altimeter and the barometric altimeter on the aircraft. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 60 years of building Singapore World Trump deploys nuclear submarines in row with Russia World 'Optimistic' Bessent says US has makings of a deal with China Asia Not 'the end of the story'; some relief in Asia-Pacific over new Trump tariffs but concerns remain Singapore Man in SAF custody after allegedly vaping on bus while in army uniform Asia 'Like me? Approach me directly, okay?': Inside a matchmaking event for China's wealthy Opinion America is tearing down another great public institution Opinion Quiet zones in public spaces can help people recharge in the city The instrument cluster, including the radar altimeter, inside the cockpit of a UH-60L Black Hawk flight simulator on April 7. PHOTO: KENNY HOLSTON/NYTIMES Investigator Marie Moler noted that the altimeters 'showed an 80- to 130-foot (24- to 40-metre) difference in flight' although the differences were within 20 to 55 feet in a controlled test environment. 'Once the helicopter rotors were turning and producing lift and thrust, the altimeter readings lowered significantly and stayed lower throughout the flights,' Ms Moler said. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy called the discrepancy significant, calling for more investigation. 'I am concerned. There is a possibility that what the crew saw was very different than what the true altitude was,' Ms Homendy said. 'A 100-foot difference is significant' in this case, she added. In the Potomac River area where the collision occurred, helicopters are required to stay below 200 feet, officials said during the hearings. US President Donald Trump was quick to blame diversity hiring policies for the accident although no evidence has emerged that they were responsible. Federal Aviation Agency air traffic control specialist Clark Allen told the hearing there was sufficient supervisory staff present in the control tower that night. The collision was the first major plane crash in the United States since 2009 when 49 people were killed near Buffalo, New York. AFP
Straits Times
30-07-2025
- Straits Times
US probes Army helicopter altitude data in fatal January crash with jet
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: A crane retrieves part of the helicopter from the Potomac River as an American plane departs, in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into the river, by the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., February 6, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board said on Wednesday that testing showed faulty altitude data in U.S. Army helicopters like the one that collided with an American Airlines plane on January 29, killing 67 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The NTSB investigative hearing is looking at the military aircraft's air data systems and altimeters as well as the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of Washington airspace and air traffic. The crash -- a half-mile southeast of the airport over the Potomac River -- was the deadliest U.S. air disaster in more than 20 years. Testing showed that Army helicopters in flight showed discrepancies of 80 to 130 feet versus actual altitude. The NTSB played audio excerpts of communications between air traffic control towers during the minutes before the crash including a request by controllers to the American Airlines plane to shift to a different runway. Previously, the NTSB said the helicopter's altitude was higher than it should have been for the area at the time of the crash. The maximum altitude for the route the helicopter was taking was 200 feet but the collision occurred at an altitude of around 300 feet. The Black Hawk, which was on a nighttime training flight, had a crew of experienced pilots wearing night vision goggles. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Water supply issues during Toa Payoh blaze affected firefighting operations; SCDF investigating Singapore 3 taken to hospital after fire in Marsiling flat Singapore School, parents on alert after vape peddlers approach primary school pupil Singapore Tampines, Toa Payoh BTO flats most popular among first-time home buyers in July HDB launch Sport Leon Marchand sets first world record at World Aquatics C'ships in Singapore Singapore Jail, fine for man linked to case involving 3 bank accounts that received over $680m in total Singapore Provision shop owner who raped 11-year-old gets more than 14 years' jail Singapore Escape, discover, connect: Where new memories are made In May, the FAA barred the Army from helicopter flights around the Pentagon after a May 1 close call that forced two civilian planes to abort landings. The FAA this week said the helicopter flights remained on hold even after the agency disclosed it had signed a new agreement with the Army on July 1. REUTERS
Straits Times
15-06-2025
- Straits Times
US officials survey Air India crash site, families continue to wait for bodies
US National Transportation Safety Board and US Federal Aviation Administration officials surveyed the Air India plane crash site in Ahmedabad. FILE PHOTO: REUTERS AHMEDABAD - Officials from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) surveyed the site of the Air India plane crash that killed at least 271 people, sources said on June 15 , with families continuing to wait for DNA profiling results to identify charred bodies. Along with the NTSB, officials from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were in Ahmedabad in western India's Gujarat state surveying the crash site, said one source with direct knowledge. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board bound for Gatwick Airport south of London began losing height seconds after take-off in Ahmedabad on J une 12 , and erupted in a huge fireball as it hit buildings below. All but one on board were declared dead in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. Around 30 people died on the ground. Air India and the Indian government were looking at several aspects of the crash including issues linked to its engine thrust, flaps, and why the landing gear remained open as the plane took off and then came down. The secretary of the US Department of Transport, Mr Sean Duffy, said on June 13 he was in the process of deploying a team from the FAA and the NTSB to India. Boeing and GE, whose engines were used in the plane, were also sending teams. 'We'll take action should any recommendations come forward from the NTSB's investigation,' Mr Duffy said. The FAA and NSTB did not immediately respond to Reuters queries outside regular business hours. The FAA has said India will lead the investigation, but the NTSB is the official US representative for providing assistance, while the FAA provides technical support. Boeing officials will also look at various parameters in their inspections, including the angle of landing, as they investigate the matter, said the first source. In all, around 10 officials were present at the site on June 1 5, including from the NTSB, said the second source. India's aviation regulator has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected. The crash brings a fresh challenge for both Air India which has for years being trying to revamp its fleet, and Boeing, which is trying to rebuild public trust following a series of safety and production crises. In Ahmedabad, doctors were struggling to identify bodies that were charred in the incident, resorting to dental samples and DNA profiling. DNA samples of 32 victims from the crash have been successfully matched, Dr Ra jnish Patel, additional superintendent at the city's main hospital, said on Sunday. 'The bodies for which DNA samples have been matched are being handed over to the families with due respect,' he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
