On April 10, a tragic helicopter crash in New York City claimed the lives of six people, including a family from Barcelona. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released preliminary findings, featuring images from surveillance footage that captured the helicopter breaking apart midair. These images reveal the fuselage, containing the engine and rotor blades, separating from the tail, while several witnesses reported hearing loud bangs before the helicopter descended into the river.
Aviation expert Justin Green suggested the images indicate severe yawing and a failure of the tail boom, possibly due to contact with the main rotor blades. The NTSB provided limited details on the cause of the in-flight breakup, asserting that forensic analysis of the wreckage will help identify mechanical issues. The helicopter model, a Bell 206L-4, was built in 2004 and had prior maintenance issues related to its transmission.
The pilot, Seankese Johnson, a 36-year-old former Navy SEAL, had recently obtained his commercial pilot’s license and had logged 790 flight hours, though less than 50 of those were in the specific aircraft type. The helicopter was on a sightseeing tour when it broke apart less than 18 minutes into the flight.
The crash has raised concerns about the safety of aerial tours in New York, with five similar accidents occurring since 2005, resulting in 20 fatalities. The deceased included Agustín Escobar, the global CEO at Siemens Mobility; his partner, Mercè Camprubí Montal; and their three children—Victor, 4, Mercedes, 8, and Agustin, 10. The family had traveled to New York for business purposes, and the investigation continues as authorities look into New York Helicopter’s operational practices, particularly given its troubled history, including past bankruptcy and lawsuits.
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