Weeks ago, a helicopter, carrying a family from Spain visiting New York City, broke apart and crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six passengers. This crash has raised concerns about helicopter safety in New York State and New York City.
According to Weitz and Luxenberg, “Helicopter accidents are common.” The United States Helicopter Safety Team reported 78 helicopter accidents in 2024, 11 of them being fatal.
Helicopter as a form of transportation is more common than people might think. In the United States, there are around 10,000 helicopter flights daily.
According to WISN, “At least 38 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977.” These helicopter accidents include many different types of rotor craft including tourist and sightseeing flights, corporate and charter flights, news and traffic helicopters, and police and emergency medical helicopters.
Between 2009 and 2018, NTSB investigated 19 helicopter accidents in New York. According to Newsweek, the deadliest New York City helicopter crash was in 2009 when a helicopter carrying Italian tourists collided with a private plane, killing nine people.
According to Gairgair, after the deadly 2009 helicopter crash, the FAA established a Special Flight Rules Area over the Hudson River and East River Corridors. This requires airplanes to stay at higher altitudes, while the tour helicopters have to fly lower.
One of the main causes of helicopter crashes is mechanical failures. According to Gairgair, the 1977 Pan Am Building disaster was caused by a landing gear failure and rotor breakup.
Another big cause of helicopter crashes is due to pilot and human error. According to Gairgair, the 1990 East 34th Street crash happened because the pilot underestimated wind conditions.
Some other causes of helicopter crashes include environmental factors, because New York City’s weather changes so quickly, and these helicopters are vulnerable to wind gusts, it causes the helicopters to lose control faster. As well as mid-air collisions, and passenger safety equipment and training.
Although there have been a lot of helicopter accidents, there have also been a lot of safety reforms over time, including limiting where helicopters can take off and land at, improving safety equipment standards, and cutting down on tourist flights.
Limiting where helicopters can take off from has reduced the risk of helicopter accidents endangering people on the streets. Improving safety equipment includes features like crash-resistant fuel systems and emergency flotation devices. Lastly, according to Gairgair, cutting down tourist flights has reduced the number of sightseeing flights by 50% and eliminated all sightseeing flights on Sundays.
