Hudson River helicopter crash exposes safety oversights
The United States is still grappling with the aftermath of the plane crash in New York. It was meant to be a routine tourist flight but unfortunately ended with the tragic loss of six lives. American media outlets are releasing new details about the condition of the aircraft. It has been confirmed that there was no flight recorder, commonly known as a black box.
The Bell 206 L-4 helicopter, which crashed in the Hudson River, was on its eighth flight that day. On board were a family from Spain and the pilot, Navy veteran Sean Johnson. Sadly, none survived. According to the "New York Post," citing the National Transportation Safety Board, the aircraft was not equipped with a flight recorder or cameras.
Furthermore, investigators reported that no audio recordings from the helicopter's cockpit were recovered. Most of the wreckage, including the cockpit and cabin, has been retrieved and transported to laboratories in Washington, D.C.
The main rotor blades have yet to be found. The last inspection of the aircraft was on March 1. The investigation into the causes of the crash is ongoing.
At the time of the crash, the helicopter was partway through its flight. It is also known that the pilot had requested to land due to low fuel. Earlier, it was determined that the helicopter had issues with the gearbox as early as September of last year. The helicopter was manufactured in 2004 and received a certificate of airworthiness in 2016, valid until 2029.
The helicopter was on a sightseeing tour over the Hudson River when the crash happened. On board was a family from Spain: Augustin, Merce, and their children - Augustin, Mercedes, and Victor. The parents were international executives at Siemens Mobility. They had arrived in New York just a few hours earlier to celebrate a child's birthday.
Michael Roth, head of the company organizing flights over New York, expressed deep shock over the incident. He noted that the helicopter's main rotor blades were missing and emphasized that he had never encountered anything similar in his three decades in the industry, as quoted by the "New York Post".
