Helicopter in fatal crash was on its 8th tour flight of the day, investigators say
The helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday, killing six, had completed seven tour flights that day, authorities said in providing an update Saturday night. Investigators have not yet determined what caused the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter to plunge into waters near Jersey City. It was last inspected on March 1, the National Transportation Safety Board said. “Before the crash, the helicopter had completed seven tour flights. The accident occurred during the eighth flight of the day,” NTSB said. Divers were continuing to recover wreckage from the helicopter, including the main fuselage — containing the cockpit and cabin — the forward portion of the tail boom, the horizontal stabilizer finlets and the vertical fin, NTSB said. The helicopter’s main rotor, main gear box, tail rotor and a large portion of the tail boom have not yet been located, NTSB said. Side-scanning sonar is being used to identify potential locations. Recovery operations will continue Sunday, NTSB said. The helicopter took off from the Wall Street Heliport in Manhattan around 2:50 p.m. Thursday, NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said Friday at a press briefing in Jersey City. About 25 minutes later, the helicopter plunged into about five feet of water adjacent to a pier and near vents for the Holland Tunnel. All six people on board were killed, including a family of five from Spain visiting New York City and the pilot of the helicopter. Investigators have met with representatives from the helicopter’s operator, New York Helicopter Charter Inc., to review operational records, policies and procedures, safety management systems and the pilot’s experience, NTSB said on Saturday. The helicopter did not have any flight recorders. No onboard video recorders or camera recorders have been recovered and none of the helicopter avionics onboard recorded information that could be used for the investigation, NTSB said. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.