Helicopter that crashed in Hudson River not equipped with flight recorders: NTSB
A helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River in New York, killing all on board, was not equipped with flight recorders, according to investigators from the National Transport Safety Board.
“No onboard video recorders or camera recorders have been recovered and none of the helicopter avionics onboard recorded information that could be used for the investigation,” the NTSB announced in an upadate on April 12, 2025.
According to the NTSB, divers from the New York Police Department have retrieved the wreckage of the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter, which crashed into the Hudson River on April 10, 2025, and have begun evaluating the helicopter’s flight control system at a secure location.
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The agency said that the main fuselage, including the cockpit and cabin, along with the forward portion of the tail boom, the horizontal stabilizer finlets and the vertical fin, have been recovered. Some of these parts will be sent to the NTSB laboratories in Washington for closer inspection, the update said.
NTSBDivers are still searching for the helicopter’s main rotor, main gear box, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom, the NTSB officials said. Side-scanning sonar is being used to locate possible wreckage sites.
Additionally, NTSB investigators met with representatives from the helicopter’s operator, New York Helicopter Charter, to review operational records, policies and procedures, safety management systems and the pilot’s experience. Investigators also examined two exemplar helicopters.
On April 14, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on X that New York Helicopter Tours will be shutting down its operations immediately. The FAA said it will be launching an immediate review of the tour operator’s license and safety record.
Regarding helicopter safety in general, the FAA said it is currently analyzing airplane/helicopter hotspots nationwide. Additionally, a helicopter safety panel will be held on April 22, 2025, to discuss the findings, risks, and additional mitigation options. The post Helicopter that crashed in Hudson River not equipped with flight recorders: NTSB appeared first on AeroTime.
A helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River in New York, killing all on board, was not equipped…
The post Helicopter that crashed in Hudson River not equipped with flight recorders: NTSB appeared first on AeroTime.
