Technical woes long ignored before fatal Hudson River crash
The helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River had technical problems long before the tragic accident in which six people died, according to American media reports.
The helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River in New York had technical problems long before the tragic accident in which six people died, including a family of tourists from Spain. As the "New York Post" indicates, citing data from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, owned by New York Helicopter, had gear assembly issues as early as September of last year.
An investigation has been initiated to determine the causes that led to the machine's fall into the river. The pilot's experience, the wreck's condition, and the activity of the company organizing sightseeing flights will be analyzed. Particular attention was given to maintenance works, including two safety directives issued by the FAA for the Bell 206L model.
The first directive from December 2022 concerned the inspection and potential replacement of main rotor blades due to "delamination." The second, from May 2023, required testing and possible replacement of tail rotor shafts in eight models, including the one that crashed.
Search for missing parts
The Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, announced that the rotors from the crashed helicopter are still missing. NYPD divers continue to search for the destroyed fragments of the machine. Footage of the accident shows the helicopter breaking apart in the air, with its parts falling into the river.
The helicopter took off from Downtown Skyport in Manhattan at 1:50 PM ET, carrying a family from Barcelona and the pilot, Navy SEAL veteran Sean Johnson. The crash occurred about 25 minutes into the flight.
History of technical problems
This is not the first time New York Helicopter has experienced problems. In 2013, another Bell 206 with four tourists from Sweden aboard made an emergency landing in the Hudson after losing power. At that time, the pilot and passengers survived. Michael Roth, CEO of New York Helicopter, admitted he had no idea what caused the failure.
"I’m absolutely devastated. The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter. And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business," said Roth, quoted by the "New York Post."
The helicopter had a certificate of airworthiness valid until 2029.
