Helicopter in lethal NYC crash as soon as starred in firm’s security inspection video

[ad_1] The ill-fated New York Metropolis tour helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday options in a now-eerie video touting the agency’s purported security file.

The chopper, a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, got here aside midair Thursday afternoon and plummeted into the water the wrong way up close to the shoreline of Jersey Metropolis, New Jersey, killing a Spanish household of 5 and the plane’s Navy SEAL veteran pilot.

The helicopter’s predominant and tail rotor indifferent from the physique of the plane and could possibly be seen splashing into the water individually, eyewitness video exhibits. The precise reason for the crash has but to be decided.

The ill-fated helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday, killing six individuals, is featured in a video selling the agency’s purported security file. (New York Helicopter)

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The helicopter, registration quantity N216MH, was operated by New York Helicopters and the agency’s web site nonetheless contains a video of the doomed helicopter being checked forward of a takeoff.

The video is embedded into the corporate’s dwelling web page below a bit titled "Why Select Us," and advertises the corporate’s expertise, affordability and security file, amongst different causes.

"We've got an industry-leading security file," the web site states alongside the video.

The soundless video exhibits a employee strolling towards the black and white coloured chopper that has its predominant rotor blade tied to a dolly.

He then unties the rope from the dolly and walks across the plane pulling the primary rotor through the rope.

Subsequent, the employee climbs onto the aspect of the chopper and inspects the engine and drive shaft of the plane earlier than hopping into the cockpit the place he carries out extra checks earlier than beginning the engine and taking off.

A employee climbs onto the aspect of the chopper and inspects the engine and drive shaft of the plane. (New York Helicopter)

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The Bell 206 was manufactured in 2004 and had already logged 12,728 hours of flight time when it was compelled into restore again in September for a mechanical difficulty with its transmission meeting, the New York Publish stories, citing FAA information.

In April 2023, the FAA issued two security a for all Bell 206L mannequin helicopters.

The FAA stated it had recognized a danger of tail rotor drive (TRDS) failure brought on by a defective bonded joint within the segmented drive shaft. The FAA advisable changing any failed tail rotor drive with a compliant, serviceable half and prohibited the set up of non-compliant TRDS components.

A New York helicopter employee is seen inspecting the engine and drive shaft. (New York Helicopter)

In a single chilling video of Thursday’s crash, it seems as if the tail rotor had indifferent earlier than the primary rotor.

Michael Roth, the CEO of New York Helicopter Excursions, advised the New York Publish he had not seen something prefer it in his 30 years being within the helicopter enterprise.

"The one factor I might guess — I obtained no clue — is that it both had a fowl strike or the primary rotor blades failed. I've no clue. I don’t know," he advised the outlet. "That is horrific," Roth added. "However you gotta bear in mind one thing, these are machines and so they break."

The corporate launched a press release saying it's "profoundly saddened by the tragic accident and lack of life."

The Spanish household of 5 who died within the tragedy included Siemens government Agustin Escobar, his spouse, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a world supervisor at an vitality know-how firm, and three kids. The pilot was additionally killed. (New York Helicopter Excursions, LLC)

"At New York Helicopter Excursions, the protection and well-being of our passengers and crew has all the time been the cornerstone of our operations," the assertion on the agency's web site reads. "Our quick focus is supporting the households and their family members affected by this tragedy, in addition to totally cooperating with the FAA and NTSB investigations."

It’s not the primary time a helicopter operated by Roth’s firm has skilled mechanical issues.

In 2015, one other Bell 206 operated by the corporate was compelled to make a tough touchdown whereas hovering 20 toes off the bottom after taking off in northern New Jersey. In that incident, the chopper skilled a tail rotor driveshaft failure as a result of reuse of a defective half, in keeping with the NTSB.

The half had been painted by a earlier proprietor, making it not possible to inform whether or not it had been a part of the helicopter in the course of the earlier onerous touchdown, the The New York Occasions reported.

The helicopter takes off after an inspection. (New York Helicopter)

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Two years earlier, a Bell 206 operated by the corporate misplaced energy and made an emergency touchdown on the water whereas carrying 4 Swedish vacationers. The pilot deployed the plane’s pontoons and safely landed on the river.

Thursday’s tragedy has prompted Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., to name for the flights to be reined in or stopped altogether.

The crash adopted a 2018 deadly incident when a tour helicopter tragically slammed into the East River, killing 5 passengers. That flight was operated by Liberty Helicopters for FlyNYON.