The sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City on April 10, killing the pilot and a family of five
Authorities have revealed new details about what happened to the helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River in April, killing a tourist family of five and a pilot.
According to the NTSB report released on Wednesday, May 7, surveillance video and audio showed the Bell 206 chopper traveling south before it “suddenly separated into three major sections” and hit the water.
The major sections that investigators were able to recover were the helicopter’s fuselage, which included the engine, the main rotor system as well as the tail boom.
“The fuselage came to rest, inverted, north of the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers where the water depth was about 6 ft,” the NTSB wrote. Meanwhile the other sections were found submerged at a depth of around 30 feet.
Additionally, they wrote that more debris was found on the surface of the river as well as on the rooftop near the transit building in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The report went on to note that the helicopter was not equipped with any video or data recording devices, and that while pilot Seankese Carrell Johnson was photographed before take-off wearing computer-augmented sunglasses, which had video and audio recording capability, those glasses were not recovered.
Additionally, federal investigators said that at the time of the crash, Johnson had been working a “10 days on/10 days off” schedule — and that the day of the crash was his first day back after his most recent time off. That flight was the helicopter’s eighth tour of the day. All were operated by Johnson.
Agustín Escobar, his wife Mercè Camprubí Montal and their three young children — ages 10, 9 and 4 — were visiting New York City from Spain at the time of the crash.
A funeral for the family was held in Barcelona on Tuesday, April 22.
On April 14, the sightseeing company that operated the helicopter received an emergency order of suspension ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to the other, Mr. Jason Costello, the Director of Operations of NY Helicopter, “agreed that NY Helicopter would cease operations as requested” until investigations were complete.
The preliminary report does not include a cause for the crash. A probable cause will not be determined until the NTBS releases their final report, which is likely still months away.