In a tragic incident, a helicopter crash landed midtown New York City on Thursday. All six on board—including three of those children—died. The Bell 206 helicopter that departed from a downtown helipad. Minutes later, it plummeted into the Hudson River, and it did not carry any flight recorders.
The helicopter took off around 3 PM local time and was on its eighth sightseeing flight of the day. It initially flew north along the Hudson River before abruptly turning south and crashing near lower Manhattan, just off Jersey City, at around 3:15 PM. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flip on its back immediately before impact. This shocking image triggered an urgent response to protect the safety of all individuals aboard.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced Monday that it has opened an investigation into the incident. Preliminary reports suggest that the helicopter had returned seven successful tour flights earlier that day prior to crashing. The NTSB has since recovered several parts of the aircraft, including the cockpit, cabin, and tail boom, which have been sent to their laboratories in Washington for further inspection.
These officials strongly emphasized that no video or camera recordings—perpetually misreported as “surveillance”—have been recovered from the helicopter. Now they’re looking for all the evidence to figure out what caused this crash. The lack of these flight recorders adds another layer of complexity to the investigation. These devices typically provide critical information on a helicopter’s performance and make it possible to identify mechanical malfunctions or pilot error.
In fact, records show that the last major inspection of the helicopter occurred on March 1. The Bell 206 is one of the most successful commercial aviation models of all time, and is lauded for its reliability. Beyond the investigation deepening into lack of compliance with safety regulations and basic operational protocols, the lack of flight recorders is another story entirely.
Our community has mourned greatly over this tragic incident, with the added pain of three children being victims. Local authority emergency management teams are working around the clock with families impacted by this tragedy to help them navigate the immediate danger and trauma.