## Hudson River Helicopter Crash: A Look at Safety Concerns and Past Incidents
A New York City tour helicopter crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, resulting in a devastating loss of life. The accident occurred near Jersey City, New Jersey, claiming the lives of five members of a Spanish family and the Navy SEAL veteran piloting the aircraft. Video footage captured the dramatic scene of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter breaking apart midair before plunging into the water upside down.
Eyewitness accounts and video evidence show the helicopter’s main and tail rotors detaching from the fuselage and splashing into the river separately. The cause of this tragic incident remains under investigation.
The Victims
The victims have been identified as a Siemens executive, his wife, and their three children.
The helicopter, registered as N216MH, was operated by New York Helicopters. Notably, the company’s website features a video embedded on its homepage under the section “Why Choose Us,” which touts their experience, affordability and safety record.
“We have an industry-leading safety record,” the website proclaims alongside the promotional video.
The video depicts a routine pre-flight inspection, showing a worker securing and releasing the rotor blades and meticulously checking the engine and drive shaft before takeoff.
**A History of Mechanical Issues & FAA Warnings**
Despite these assurances of safety, records indicate the Bell 206 helicopter involved in Thursday’s crash was manufactured in 2024 but had already accumulated 12,728 flight hours. It underwent repairs as recently as September due to a mechanical issue with its transmission assembly.
Furthermore, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued two safety alerts for all Bell 206L model helicopters in April 2023. These alerts highlighted a risk of tail rotor drive system (TRDS) failure stemming from a faulty bonded joint within the segmented drive shaft. The FAA recommended replacing any failed parts and prohibited the installation of non-compliant components.
Footage of Thursday’s crash appears to show the detachment of the tail rotor *prior* to the main rotor, potentially indicating the critical role of this system in flight stability.
Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter Tours, expressed shock and disbelief. “The only thing I could guess — I got no clue — is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed,” he stated. “This is horrific,” he added. “But you gotta remember something, these are machines and they break.”
New York Helicopter Tours released a statement expressing profound sadness over the accident and emphasizing their commitment to safety.
“At New York Helicopter Tours, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations. Our immediate focus is supporting the families and their loved ones affected by this tragedy, as well as fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB investigations.”
**Previous Incidents Raise Concerns**
This latest incident isn’t an isolated occurrence. New York Helicopter Tours has a history of mechanical issues:
* 2015: A Bell 206 operated by the company made a hard landing after experiencing a tail rotor driveshaft failure due to the reuse of a faulty part, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The part had been painted, obscuring its history.
* 2018: Another Bell 206 experienced power loss and performed an emergency water landing while carrying four Swedish tourists. The pilot successfully deployed pontoons and landed safely in the river.
These past incidents have now prompted Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) to call for stricter regulations or even a complete cessation of tourist helicopter flights.
This tragedy echoes a previous fatal incident from 2018, when a tour helicopter operated by Liberty Helicopters for FlyNYON crashed into the East River, claiming the lives of five passengers. The ongoing investigations will be crucial in determining the cause of Thursday’s accident and preventing future tragedies within the industry.
