FAA Suspends Helicopter Tour Company License Amid Hudson River Crash

WASHINGTON- The FAA ordered New York Helicopter Tours to cease operations immediately on Sunday, April 13, after the company’s sightseeing helicopter broke apart and crashed into the Hudson River last week.

This decision came hours after US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged regulators to revoke the company’s license. The crash killed all six people aboard, including a Siemens executive and his family from Spain.

Photo- NTSB & HeliNY; Compiled by Aviation A2Z

Helicopter Crash Details

A New York Helicopter operated the tour helicopter that crashed while following a commonly used sightseeing path highlighting Manhattan’s skyline.

Footage captured the aircraft disintegrating midair before spinning downward and crashing into the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey.

The crash claimed the lives of Pilot Sean Johnson, 36, a US Navy veteran, along with five Spanish tourists: Agustín Escobar, 49, a Siemens executive; his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, 39; and their three children – Agustín, 10; Mercedes, 8; and Víctor, 4. The family had just arrived in New York from Barcelona that same day.

Photo- NTSB

Witnesses Remarks

Witnesses reported seeing the helicopter trailing smoke before spiraling out of control and crashing into the river. Video footage captured parts of the rotor breaking off midair.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), now leading the investigation, stated the crash happened less than 20 minutes after takeoff from a Manhattan heliport.

Investigators believe a mechanical failure may have caused the main rotor to hit the tail, leading to the aircraft breaking apart in flight.

NTSB officials confirmed the helicopter’s main rotor and transmission remain missing, with no final determination possible until these components are recovered.

Manhattan Heliport; Photo- Wikipedia

Stricter Regulation

Speaking before the FAA announcement, Senator Schumer described the crash as “a tragic consequence of regulatory loopholes” and demanded stronger oversight of tour operators.

The helicopter operated under FAA’s “Part 91” regulations, which have less strict safety and training requirements compared to commercial flight rules.

“The rules under Part 91 just aren’t strict enough when people’s lives are on the line,” Schumer warned, adding that these relaxed standards allow companies to “cut corners and put profits over people.”

Photo: By James from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire – G-NORK Bell Jet Ranger 206 Helicopter

Company’s Troubled Safety Record

New York Helicopter Tours has a problematic past. FAA records show the crashed aircraft, built in 2004, had a documented transmission issue last year.

In 2013, one of the company’s helicopters lost power during flight, though the pilot landed safely. The company previously filed for bankruptcy and faces multiple lawsuits over unpaid debts.

Schumer also called for increased FAA inspections for all tour operators, including FlyNYON – another company under scrutiny after a 2018 East River crash that killed five people. A recent jury found FlyNYON responsible for that incident.

Industry Response

Industry advocates defended helicopter tour operations, with the Eastern Region Helicopter Council claiming New York sightseeing flights “already operate under the most stringent of regulations.” Critics counter that non-essential helicopter flights over densely populated areas like Manhattan create unnecessary safety risks.

Despite a 2016 city limit capping Manhattan heliport flights at 30,000 annually, many operators relocated to nearby New Jersey.

In the past two decades, five sightseeing helicopters have crashed into the Hudson or East River, resulting in 20 deaths.

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