Overview

• The April 10 crash of a Bell 206L-4 sightseeing helicopter over the Hudson River killed six people, including a Spanish family of five and the pilot.
• Surveillance footage and witness reports confirm the helicopter broke into three sections—fuselage, rotor system, and tail boom—following loud bangs midair.
• The aircraft lacked onboard data or video recorders, and the pilot’s computer-augmented sunglasses with recording capability remain unrecovered.
• The helicopter had logged 50 hours since its last inspection in February, and the pilot, on his first day back after a 10-day break, was completing his eighth flight of the day.
• The FAA has grounded New York Helicopter Tours, the operator, as investigators examine maintenance records and operational factors for potential safety lapses.