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Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Helicopter tours of NYC have a controversial and deadly history
A Spanish family who boarded a sightseeing helicopter in New York City were promised an 'experience you don't want to miss' and "an industry-leading safety record" by New York Helicopter. Instead, the flight ended in tragedy when the aircraft plunged into the Hudson River. Tech executive Agustin Escobar was among the six killed in the April 10 crash, the company confirmed. Escobar's family ‒ including 3 children ‒ died in the crash, as well as the helicopter's pilot. The deaths made worldwide headlines and brought renewed attention to the controversial helicopter tourism industry in New York. The industry sends some 30,000 flights over the Big Apple every year. But residents have decried the helicopters as a nuisance and occasionally some flights have also faced a deadly end. New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth said he was 'devastated' by the crash. 'I haven't seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business,' Roth said to the New York Post about a video showing the helicopter careening into the water. '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.' More: Helicopter crash into NYC's Hudson River kills 6 on sightseeing tour At least 32 people died in New York City helicopter crashes between 1977 and 2019, according to an Associated Press report. The latest crash brings the total to 38. In March, tour company FlyNYON paid a share of a settlement in a lawsuit for $90 million, reports say. The suit was brought by the relatives of a man who died when a helicopter crashed and sank into the East River in 2018. The helicopter was owned and operated by Liberty Helicopters, which was also found liable in the lawsuit. The tragedy led to an FAA ban on open-door flights. The five passengers on board drowned after the helicopter rolled over into the water as they were trapped by safety harnesses they were wearing at the time. Pilot Richard Vance was the only survivor. The crash was the third in 11 years for Liberty Helicopters, leading Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer to call upon federal authorities to suspend the company's license. Liberty Helicopters is still operating, according to a company website. Another Liberty Helicopters chopper went down in 2009 after crashing with a private plane. All nine people on both aircraft — a pilot and five passengers in the helicopter and a pilot and two passengers in the plane — died in the midair crash. In 2019, a chopper slammed into the roof of a Manhattan building and burst into flames. Timothy McCormack, the pilot of the eight-seat, twin-engine helicopter, died. He was the only person on board the aircraft. More: With 6 dead in New York, a look at notable fatal helicopter crashes in recent US history Most of the nonessential helicopter flights that take off every year in New York City don't end in tragedy. (Sightseeing flights are considered nonessential.) But even a successful flight can be controversial. Because such flights must fly at a low altitude to avoid airplanes, they add to the din of an already loud city for many New Yorkers. Residents opposed to the aircraft have scored some victories. Sightseeing helicopter flights are only allowed to leave from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport and only Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; although commuter and other flights are allowed to leave from the island's two other heliports as well. Sightseeing flights must follow a prescribed route, generally around the bottom of Manhattan, around Liberty Island (home to the Statue of Liberty) and along the Hudson River. Designated routes were created in 2009 following the deadly mid-air collision of the Liberty Helicopters chopper with a private plane that left nine dead. Tours leaving from Manhattan are not allowed to fly over land, though flights originating from the other New York City airports do not have such restrictions, the New York City Council website said. Efforts to ban or limit tourist flights have been ongoing for at least 15 years. Stop the Chop, a group organized to reduce helicopter noise, has been agitating for several years to ban nonessential helicopters from flying over the New York metropolitan area. In 2010 city officials banned short, four to eight minute tours around Manhattan. Today most flights are between 12 and 30 minutes. Flights on Sundays were also banned in 2016 at Stop The Chop's urging. Congressional Representatives, including several from the city, introduced the Safe and Quiet Skies Act in 2023. The law would have directed the FAA to strictly regulate sightseeing flights by requiring them to fly at a higher altitude and be no louder than 55 decibels over occupied areas. It did not pass then but politicians who introduced the bill are raising the issue again in light of Thursday's crash. 'This heartbreaking incident was not only devastating — it was foreseeable,' said Representative Jerry Nadler. 'For years, I have raised concerns about the dangers posed by non-essential helicopter flights over our city's densely populated neighborhoods and congested airspace. One of the busiest skies in the nation remains largely unregulated, governed by outdated visual flight rules and minimal oversight.' (This story has been updated to add new information.) Contributing: Jeanine Santucci This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NYC helicopter crash follows years of controversy for tourist flights
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Haunting images of doomed New York helicopter wreckage after crash kills six people
The Bell 206L-4 - used by sightseeing tour firm New York Helicopter - broke apart midair and crashed, killing Agustin Escobar, who was the CEO of Siemens Spain, and his family These eerie pictures capture the wreckage of the doomed helicopter which broke apart midair and crashed into the Hudson River. Six people, including Siemens boss Agustin Escobar and his family, died when the sightseeing chopper plunged into the New York City water last month. An investigation is underway into the horror, as part of which a series of still photographs taken from surveillance camera video have been released. The haunting images, included in the preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), show the fuselage, containing the engine and rotors, separating from the helicopter's tail. The rotor blades and the transmission then detach from the cabin that's carrying the passengers and the pilot. The NTSB's report reads: "Several witnesses described hearing several loud 'bangs' emanating from the helicopter before it broke up and descended into the river." The document also said photos taken beforehand show the pilot, Seankese Johnson, was wearing computer-augmented sunglasses, which would have had video and audio recording capability. The glasses have not been recovered. Justin Green, an aviation lawyer and former Marine helicopter pilot, said he understands the tail boom failed mid flight. This spar connects tail surfaces to a fuselage. The expert added: "It's clear that some mechanical issue precipitated the breakup." The initial report, which runs about six pages, does not address the initial cause of the breakup. That, Mr Green said, will likely be determined by a forensic examination of the wreckage itself, including the rotor blades, the engine and transmission. "A tail strike could be caused by a pilot not handling a loss of power emergency and allowing the rotor rpm to decay, which makes the rotors flap up and down more and that can cause a strike," Mr Green said. The aircraft, a Bell 206L-4 built in 2004, also appeared to be fairly old and well used, according to the aviation lawyer. At the time of the crash, the helicopter had operated about 50 hours since its last inspection on February 27, according to the NTSB report. The helicopter's airframe accrued nearly 13,000 total hours of operation, and the engine accrued more than 23,000 hours. Federal Aviation Administration records also show the aircraft had a maintenance issue last September involving its transmission assembly. Mr Green added: "The NTSB will be looking at the overhaul and maintenance records to make sure everything is up to date." The NTSB said previously that the aircraft, operated by tour company New York Helicopter, was not equipped with any video or data recording devices. However, it has now emerged Mr Johnson, the 36-year-old pilot, was wearing the computer-augmented sunglasses. The former Navy SEAL received his commercial pilot's license in 2023 and had logged 790 hours of flight time, the NTSB report said. But he didn't appear to be particularly experienced flying a Bell 206L-4, observed Al Yurman, a retired NTSB investigator. The agency said in its report Mr Johnson had fewer than 50 hours of flight in that type of aircraft. Mr Yurman continued: "It's quite sophisticated for that type of work. I would prefer to have someone more experienced, but we'll know more when the full report comes out." The report said Mr Johnson worked a '10 days on/10 days off schedule' and the April 10 flight was his first day back after 10 days off. The flight was also the eighth that day for the pilot and the helicopter. The aircraft was on a typical tour, departing from the downtown heliport by Wall Street around 3pm and flying north along the Manhattan skyline before heading south toward the Statue of Liberty. Less than 18 minutes into the flight, witnesses saw the tail and main rotor break away and smoke pouring from the spinning helicopter. In recent years New York Helicopter, the tour company, went through bankruptcy and faced ongoing lawsuits over alleged debts. The company has said it is cooperating with authorities in the investigation. No one answered the phone at its office or responded to an email seeking comment on Wednesday. The crash was among a recent string of aircraft disasters and close calls that left some people worried about the safety of flying in the US It also revived concerns about the popular and costly aerial tours over New York City. Five commercial sightseeing helicopters have gone down in the rivers around Manhattan since 2005 as a result of mechanical failure, pilot error or collision, killing 20 people. The April 10 crash killed Mr Escobar's family from Barcelona; his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal, 39; and their children Victor, four, Mercedes, eight, and ten-year-old Agustin. Officials have said Mr Escobar, global CEO of the rail infrastructure at Siemens Mobility, was in the New York area on business. Ms Montal, who worked for Siemens Energy and was the granddaughter of a former president of the famous Barcelona FC soccer club, flew in with their children to meet him.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Investigators reveal disturbing new detail from Hudson River helicopter crash that killed six in NYC
Haunting loud bangs were the last sounds heard from a helicopter moments before it crashed into New York's Hudson River - killing a family of five and the pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the horrifying April 11 crash. On Wednesday, a preliminary report revealed that witnesses told investigators they heard defeaning 'loud bangs' erupting from the helicopter in the sky, moments before it broke apart into three pieces. Agustín Escobar, a Siemens executive from Spain, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal and their three children aged four, eight and ten were killed when the sightseeing chopper plummeted into the Hudson River. The family were on vacation in New York to celebrate the birthday of one of their daughters. A rotor blade was seen in extraordinary video plummeting into the water, with aviation experts saying that this likely occurred because the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft and sliced the tail. This is a breaking news story. More to come.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- The Independent
Report reveals new details into New York helicopter crash that killed six
The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report into last month's New Jersey helicopter crash that killed six people, confirming the aircraft was not equipped with any video or data recording devices. The lack of data could make the investigation challenging for officials, who typically rely on such information to determine what led up to a fatal crash. According to the agency, the helicopter began to rapidly descend into the Hudson River on April 10 when its main body experienced a structural failure in the tail section, leading to loss of control. The fuselage, containing the engine and main rotor blade assembly, fully separated from the tail boom. Then, the main motor blades with attached transmission and roof structure detached from the fuselage, causing the structure to fall apart into three major sections: the fuselage, main rotor system and tail boom. The helicopter's last inspection was February 27. A Spanish family who died in the crash had rented the helicopter for a sightseeing tour of New York City. They were later identified as Agustín Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, both Siemens executives, and their children, aged four, five and 11. The pilot was identified as Seankese 'Sean' Johnson, 36. Photos taken of Johnson before the crash show he was wearing computer-augmented sunglasses that had video and audio recording capability. However, the sunglasses were not recovered from the scene. The helicopter departed Downtown Manhattan around 2.58 p.m. then flew in a teardrop pattern south of the Statue of Liberty then proceeded north along the east side of the Hudson River adjacent to Manhattan, past the George Washington Bridge, where it performed a u-turn, then headed south along the New Jersey side of the river. As the helicopter approached the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers near Jersey City, it was observed at an altitude between 625 and 650 feet. It then ascended to 675 feet before it started a rapid descent. The data ended at 3.14 p.m. and the helicopter's last observed altitude was 125 feet. Nearby witnesses described hearing loud 'bangs' emanating from the helicopter before it broke apart and crashed. Investigators recovered pieces of the aircraft from the river and a rooftop near the Hoboken transit building. Johnson held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter. He held a current Federal Aviation Administration first-class medical certificate and had logged 790 hours of flight experience. He'd worked a 10 days on/10 days off schedule and the accident flight was his first day back after having 10 days off. The fatal flight was his eighth on the day of the crash. Officials continue to examine evidence to determine what caused the tragedy. A complete report is usually completed a year after an accident.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Helicopter that crashed into NYC's Hudson River broke apart in midair, NTSB finds
The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on April's Hudson River helicopter crash that killed six people. The six-page report sheds new light on what exactly happened in the crash of the tour helicopter that killed a family of five from Spain, including three children, as well as the pilot. Agustin Escobar Canadas, an executive at German industrial conglomerate Siemens, and his family were on a sightseeing tour when something went catastrophically wrong 18 minutes into the trip. The victims of the Hudson River helicopter crash in NYC have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar and his family. New York Helicopter Tours What's in the report The NTSB report offers a detailed timeline of the helicopter's flight and route. The Bell 206L-4 helicopter operated by New York Helicopter Tours took off from the Wall Street Heliport at 2:58 p.m., flew to the Statue of Liberty, and then flew up the east side of the Hudson River just past the George Washington Bridge where it turned around and started flying south along the Jersey side of the river. At about 3:15, the helicopter was flying at an altitude of between 625 to 650 feet before it increased altitude to 675 feet before plunging into the river, the report says. The main body of the helicopter had moved side-to-side and the tail boom somehow failed, breaking off completely from the main body of the helicopter. According to the NTSB's report, "several witnesses described hearing several loud 'bangs' emanating from the helicopter before it broke up and descended into the river." CBS News aviation analyst and former NTSB chair Robert Sumwalt tells CBS News New York the fact that the tail broke off first could give investigators some clues to work on as to how the tragedy happened. The helicopter came apart midair, report finds The NTSB released a series of images it says shows the tourist helicopter breaking apart in midair before crashing into the Hudson River on April 10, 2025. National Transportation Safety Board The report says the helicopter came apart in midair in three major sections, including the fuselage with engine, the main rotor system, and the tail boom. The NTSB released a series of blurry images which it says shows the helicopter breaking up into those three main pieces. The report points out the helicopter didn't have any video or data recording devices, but said pictures of the pilot just before takeoff showed he was wearing sunglasses that could record audio and video. Those sunglasses, however, have not been recovered. What the report does not reveal is what caused that tail boom to break off. Read the report
