A history of helicopter accidents in New York City
At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, when an accident on a skyscraper landing pad led the city to start putting restrictions on where choppers could land.
Helicopter flights are getting renewed scrutiny after a fatal crash into the Hudson River on Thursday.
A look at accidents over the years:
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 02:40
Helicopter owner ‘absolutely devastated’ by tragedy
The owner of the tourist helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River this afternoon, killing all six people on board, including a family from Spain, told The New York Post he’s “devastated.”
“It’s devastation,” New York Helicopter Tours CEO Michael Roth said. “I’m a father and a grandfather and to have children on there, I’m devastated. 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,” a visibly shaken Roth said. “And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.”
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 02:20
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 01:58
We have FDNY assets right up the road here, and we launched our boats immediately. This operation was a joint operation between the FDNY and the NYPD. Our rescue swimmers were in the water shortly after the call and recovered some of the victims. We worked very closely with the NYPD divers on this and I think this tragic day does indicate just how the spirit of cooperation between the NYPD and the FDNY is alive on the streets and in the water.
FDNY commissioner Robert Tucker
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 01:40
Emergency personnel remove helicopter wreckage from Hudson River
Emergency personnel work at the scene of a helicopter crash on the Hudson River, removing the wreckage from the water, as seen from Newport, New Jersey. (REUTERS)
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 01:35
Watch: Mayor Eric Adams confirms six deaths in Hudson River crash
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 01:30
I watched it fall out of the sky! I heard five or six loud noises that sounded almost like gunshots in the sky and saw pieces fall off, then watched it fall into the river.
Dani Horbiak, who saw the crash from her apartment window (via ABC 7 New York)
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 01:20
Where did the helicopter crash?
Despite early reports that the crash had occurred toward the Manhattan side of the Hudson River, the helicopter actually crashed just south of Hoboken as it approached Jersey City on the New Jersey side of the river.
The Bell 206 helicopter took off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at 2:59 p.m., headed toward the Statue of Liberty, before flying north along Manhattan up the river to the George Washington Bridge before turning south.
It went off the radar at 3:25 p.m.
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 01:00
NTSB launches investigation into crash
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into today’s crash of the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter.
Oliver O’Connell11 April 2025 00:38
A history of helicopter accidents in New York City
At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, when an accident on a skyscraper landing pad led the city to start putting restrictions on where choppers could land.
Helicopter flights are getting renewed scrutiny after a fatal crash into the Hudson River on Thursday.
