NTSB concludes recovery at NYC helicopter crash site after locating key parts
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has said that recovery efforts at the New York Helicopter crash site have concluded after investigators located key components from the accident aircraft.
The NTSB had previously announced that it was using side-scanning sonar to search for the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter’s main rotor, main gear box, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom.
On April 14, 2025, it was confirmed that divers had recovered and secured the helicopter’s main rotor system, including the transmission, the roof beam and the tail rotor system.
The NTSB said the discoveries will “greatly aid” its investigation and the new evidence will be taken to a secure location for further examination.
NTSB investigators were deployed to the scene on April 10, 2025, hours after a New York Helicopter sightseeing flight ended in tragedy when the aircraft crashed into the Hudson River.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams says a family of Spanish tourists, including three children, died Thursday in a helicopter crash in the Hudson River that killed six people. pic.twitter.com/07y6jRwQqf— The Associated Press (@AP) April 10, 2025 The passenger victims killed included Siemens Executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal and their three children. The pilot also perished in the accident.
On April 14, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also issued an emergency order grounding New York Helicopter Charter, after the company’s operations director was fired having voluntarily grounded flights.
Writing on social media the acting Head of the FAA, Chris Rocheleau, said: “The FAA has issued an emergency order grounding New York Helicopter Charter, Inc., which operated the Bell 206 helicopter that crashed Thursday in the Hudson River. The FAA is taking this action in part because after the company’s director of operations voluntarily shut down flights, he was fired.”
NTSBRocheleau also confirmed that a comprehensive review known as a Certificate Holder Evaluation Program (CHEP) would begin.
The review would determine whether New York Helicopter complies with “applicable regulation and effectively manages safety and identifies hazards and risks so the FAA and operator can mitigate them”.
A preliminary report into the accident is scheduled to be published within 30 days of the helicopter crash.
The NTSB continues to ask witnesses to the crash who may have video or photos of any aspect of the accident sequence or have information that could be relevant to the investigation to contact the agency.
A probable cause of the crash and any contributing factors will come out in the final report, which is expected in 12 to 24 months.
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has said that recovery efforts at the New York Helicopter crash site…
The post NTSB concludes recovery at NYC helicopter crash site after locating key parts appeared first on AeroTime.
