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NTSB Report Details Midair Breakup of NYC Tour Helicopter Before Fatal Crash

Preliminary findings confirm the helicopter separated into three major sections midflight, killing six, but the cause remains undetermined.

Emergency personnel work at the scene of a helicopter crash on the Hudson River near lower Manhattan in New York, as seen from Newport, New Jersey U.S., April 10, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo
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Overview

  • The April 10 crash of a Bell 206L-4 helicopter into the Hudson River killed the pilot and a Spanish family of five, including three children.
  • Surveillance images in the NTSB's preliminary report show the helicopter broke into three parts: the fuselage, the main rotor system, and the tail boom.
  • Witnesses reported hearing multiple loud 'bangs' before the helicopter's midair disintegration and rapid descent into the river.
  • The aircraft, which lacked onboard video or data recorders, had logged nearly 13,000 airframe hours and underwent its last inspection on February 27, 2025.
  • Investigators are analyzing wreckage and searching for the pilot's unrecovered video-capable sunglasses as they work to determine the crash's cause.