FAA Shuts Down New York ⁢Helicopter Tours After hudson River Crash

NEW YORK (AP) — New york City remains in mourning following a helicopter ‍crash in the Hudson River⁢ that claimed⁤ the lives of six⁤ people. The incident, which occurred last ⁤week, is under inquiry by local and federal ⁤authorities.

FAA grounds New York Helicopter Tours

the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the immediate closure of New⁢ York Helicopter tours,the operator of the aircraft involved in the crash. The announcement came Sunday evening.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the helicopter ⁣lacked a flight recording device and had not undergone a extensive inspection in over five weeks. The NTSB stated that the absence of black boxes, flight data, and voice recorders⁢ limits the data available to investigators seeking to determine the cause of the accident.

The helicopter, on its eighth tourist flight of ⁣the day, reportedly broke apart mid-air before plunging into the river.

The FAA said it is initiating a complete review of New York Helicopter Tours’ license and safety protocols. Furthermore, the agency plans to convene a national committee by the end of the month⁤ to assess potential critical vulnerabilities in helicopter and airplane operations within the city, aiming to develop a unified strategy to mitigate accident risks.

NTSB Concerns Over Tourist flight Oversight

The NTSB has, for years, urged the FAA to implement stricter inspection and regulatory standards for tourist helicopter flights. A 2021 NTSB report highlighted that inadequate oversight of these operations has created “unacceptable and avoidable” risks.

The helicopter involved in the Hudson River crash departed from ⁤Downtown ‍Manhattan’s heliport, one of the busiest in⁢ the United States,⁤ handling over 30,000‍ flights annually.

following the crash, NTSB investigators met with representatives from New York Helicopter Tours.

Sen. Chuck Schumer has stated that companies, rather than pilots, often manipulate ⁢FAA standards, taking shortcuts that prioritize profits over safety.

Victims Identified

Among the victims were Mercè Camprubi Montal, her husband Agustín Escobar, and⁣ their three children, ages 10, 8, and 4, all from Spain. ⁢The helicopter pilot, Sean Johnson, 36, a Marine veteran, also perished in the crash.