Overview

• NTSB released images confirming the April 10 crash involved midair structural failure, with the helicopter breaking into fuselage, rotor, and tail boom.
• Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs before the helicopter descended into the Hudson River, killing all six onboard, including a Spanish family of five and the pilot.
• The Bell 206L-4 helicopter, built in 2004, had logged nearly 13,000 airframe hours and faced a transmission assembly issue during maintenance last September.
• The pilot, Seankese Johnson, had 790 flight hours but less than 50 on this helicopter model; it was his first day back after 10 days off and his eighth flight of the day.
• Investigators are awaiting recovery of the pilot's augmented sunglasses, which may hold critical video and audio evidence, as FAA grounding of the operator remains in effect.