The New York City-based helicopter tour company involved in the deadly crash on Thursday has previous incidents of aircraft malfunctions, according to records with the National Transportation Safety Board.
The company, called New York Helicopter Charter, has been operating helicopter tours of New York City and New Jersey for more than 30 years. The business managed the Bell 206 aircraft that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday afternoon, killing all six passengers on board.
According to records with NTSB, New York Helicopter Charter was involved in two non-fatal incidents, one in 2013 in which a helicopter’s engine failed while five people were on board and another in 2015 in which a pilot made a “hard landing” while 20 feet in the air.
The Independent has reached out to New York Helicopter Charter for comment.
In 2013, one of New York Helicopter Charter’s aircraft suddenly lost engine power while a pilot was flying a family of four near the 79th Street Boat Basin. The family, two adults and two teenagers, were visiting from Sweden.
In that incident, the pilot quickly deployed skid-mounted floats upon realizing the helicopter was “going down,” and landed in the Hudson River. No person on board was seriously injured and a nearby passenger boat helped all five safely get to shore.
Michael Roth, the owner of New York Helicopter Charter, told the Wall Street Journal at the time he had “no clue” why the aircraft lost power and that the helicopter underwent routine inspections daily.
An investigation by the NTSB found that parts of the engine, which had recently been “overhauled,” were “damaged” and determined that “improper maintenance” caused an issue that led to engine failure.
New York Helicopter Charter sued Aircraft Maintenance Specialists, the company it hired to repair the helicopter, in 2016, accusing it of negligence. The case seemingly ended in a stipulation agreement, but it is unclear what the terms of it were.
In another smaller incident that took place in 2015, a pilot was forced to undergo a “hard landing” after a helicopter he raised 20 feet in the air began to spin out of control.
An investigation by the NTSB later found that the helicopter’s shafts “exhibited runout well beyond the maximum amount of runout” and would be considered “unairworthy.” The report found that the shafts may have been involved in a 2010 “hard landing” in Chile, but a previous owner painted over them, making it difficult to determine their state.
The NTSB is currently investigating the deadly Hudson River crash.
Videos from the incident, posted online, appear to show the helicopter’s blades detaching from the aircraft, causing it to plunge into the river.
Agustin Escobar, an executive from Siemens, was on board with his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three children. All six people on board, including the pilot, were declared dead.
Roth told CBS he had “no information whatsoever” regarding the reason for Thursday’s helicopter crash.
“I don't know anything about how this went down. The only thing I can tell you, we are devastated,” Roth said. “My wife hasn't stopped crying since this afternoon. We're a small company. I'm a father and a grandfather, and we're just devastated. We have no clue what happened.”
New York Helicopter Charter says on its website it only allows “experienced professionals” in their aircraft.
“Every one of our pilots are FAA Certified Airline Transport & Commercial pilots with an instrument and flight instructor rating.”
Helicopter tours of New York City have become a popular tourist attraction, but one that comes with risks. Over the last four decades, at least 25 people have been killed in accidents, according to USA Today.
Some local lawmakers have sought to regulate sightseeing helicopter tours, citing the noise pollution. In 2016, the city struck a deal with companies, agreeing not to fly on Sundays and banning helicopters from flying over Governor’s Island and Staten Island.
However, the FAA is the agency that regulates airspace.
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