The relatively peaceful life of New York citizens was suddenly shattered when a sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River. Onboard were six individuals: the pilot and a family of five tourists from Spain. The plunge from such a height into the water proved fatal. Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while the remaining two were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they too drew their final breaths shortly after.
The helicopter, a Bell 206 operated by New York Helicopters, took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 p.m. It was supposed to be a simple sightseeing tour over the Manhattan skyline. But about 15 minutes into the flight, things went horribly wrong. The helicopter suffered a catastrophic mid-air failure, and several witnesses reported seeing the main rotor and tail boom break off before the aircraft plunged into the Hudson River.
Michael Roth, the owner of New York Helicopters, didn’t go into much detail, only saying that the incident was devastating for him. He admitted he had no idea how such a crash could happen. In his three decades in the business, he said he had never seen anything like it. He added that helicopters are machines, and eventually, machines break down.
Aviation lawyer Justin Green also suggested that the most likely cause was a mechanical failure, possibly involving the main rotor striking the tail boom. Based on video footage of the crash, he noted that the pilot appeared to lose control of the aircraft and added that no pilot could have prevented what happened. While there are still no definitive answers, the National Transportation Safety Board has promised to continue its investigation.
Witnessing such a horrifying incident sparked widespread discussion online. Many people expressed their condolences and sympathy for the victims. “RIP. Horrible way to go out…” one Reddit user wrote. Others shared how the crash reinforced their fears about helicopters. “This is why helicopters scare me. When the rotor blades stop creating their black-magic lifting capabilities, the fuselage becomes a rock. At least if an airplane loses thrust, it can glide to a potentially safe landing,” another commenter said.
Some users even shared their experiences of witnessing the helicopter crash in real time. “I saw this right outside my window and reported it to 911 and later to the NTSB. It was horrific to watch,” one Redditor wrote. “I literally saw it falling from the sky about two hundred yards away. As soon as it hit the water, it flipped upside down.”
