Hudson River helicopter crash cause not yet known, NTSB says
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are looking into Thursday's deadly Hudson River helicopter crash.
They held a preliminary briefing which we brought to you live on CBS News New York.
A family of five from Barcelona, Spain was killed in the crash, including three children under the age of 11. The youngest was just 4. Helicopter pilot Sean Johnson, 36, was also killed.
What caused the helicopter crash?
The question on everyone's mind is what caused the shocking crash. Video posted on social media shows that the Bell 206 helicopter apparently completely broke apart while still in midair, with its rotors and tail separating from the fuselage, which crashed into the Hudson River while inverted.
NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said the agency will not speculate on cause.
"We do not have a preliminary cause. That takes time," Homendy said. "We will not speculate on cause ever, but we will not be determining any sort of preliminary or probable cause at the scene of an accident. We don't do that."
A person familiar with the matter said that preliminarily it appears a rotor may have broken off resulting in the helicopter to shake uncontrollably into pieces.
"It is going to take time. We need to do a very thorough examination of the wreckage to determine what occurred first and how that occurred," Homendy added.
Search for additional wreckage
Homendy said authorities are investigating the wreckage.
"The wreckage exam began this morning," Homendy said. "The New York Police Department is still diving for components and pieces of the helicopter that we are still looking to recover. Those include the main rotor, the main transmission, the roof structure and the tail structure."
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said there were three working theories about the cause: Bird strike, drone strike, and mechanical failure.
So what does the NTSB team hope to learn from the physical evidence?
"Everything is on the table. We don't rule anything out. We take a very detailed and comprehensive view," Homendy said.
Maritime wreck recovery expert Capt. Joe Farrell said finding the rotor may be the key to getting answers.
"If you picked up the rotor here, you can look at the bolts on that, and you can tell if they sheared away before the aircraft hit, because the damage from hitting the ground will be totally different from what created this problem," Farrell said.
Authorities said the main body of the aircraft landed in water about five feet deep, but other main pieces may have landed where the river is 75 feet deep. The conditions that deep underwater are challenging.
"Not good," Farrell said. "You got maybe a foot of visibility."
Homendy said a 17-person team is on site focusing on the helicopter's structure, along with its operator New York Helicopter, which leased the vehicle from Meridian Helicopter.
Most of the remains of the helicopter were hoisted out of the river Thursday night. NTSB investigators have been inspecting the mangled aircraft all day.
The NTSB asks anyone with relevant video or information on the investigation to email them. Homendy said the videos that have been circulating on social media have been "very helpful."
"We believe in one level of safety"
Investigators are also looking into logbooks and the pilot's qualifications.
Homendy said Johnson held a commercial pilot's certificate with rotorcraft and instrument ratings and, "as of March 29, 2025, the pilot accumulated about 788 hours of total flight time. We still need to calculate flight time in that Bell Helicopter."
Sightseeing helicopters pack New York City's sky. Tourists pay hundreds to see the view. The crash is prompting calls for change.
"When it comes to helicopter safety or safety aboard any aircraft, we have to make sure the aircraft is flightworthy. I'm not sure those checks and balances are being done," City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said.
"It's too early to say what we would recommend as part of this investigation, however this is a concern we've raised for a number of years," Homendy said.
In a 2021 report, the NTSB sounded the alarm, saying the public is "likely unaware" the helicopter tour industry has "less stringent requirements" than other aviation operations. For example, there's no national database of tour companies, and what the FAA doesn't know about, the NTSB says it can't inspect.
The agency also says some charter companies falsely operate "under the premise of student instruction or training flights" to avoid regulations.
"We believe in one level of safety, strongly," Homendy said.
When asked if they've adopted the NTSB's recommendations, the FAA said:
"Air tour helicopter pilots must have a commercial or Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. A commercial pilot certificate requires at least 150 hours of pilot-in-command flight time for a helicopter rating. However, the pilot in command flying a Part 135 helicopter operation must have at least 500 hours of pilot-in-command flight time. FAA regulations also require specific types of flight within those minimum hours. An Airline Transport Pilot certificate requires at least 1,500 hours of flight time."
The helicopter was operated by tour company New York Helicopter. NTSB records show the operator had two prior mechanical failures in recent years. No one was injured.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on social media the helicopter was in the special flight rules area, meaning no air traffic services were being provided when it crashed. Several minutes prior to entering the area, however, air traffic control from LaGuardia Airport was providing support.
"Helicopters are safe. We've witnessed that through the years, and it's part of the New York experience. This is a very unfortunate situation, but we have always ensured we have the proper safety precaution and that's what's done," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
Who died in the Hudson River helicopter crash?
The victims include Siemens Mobility executive Agustin Escobar, 49, and his wife Merce Campruvi Montal, 39, an executive with Siemens Energy, and their three young children, all under age 11, including Victor Campruvi, 4, and Mercedes Escobar Campruvi, 9.
Official say the family was in New York to celebrate Mercedes' birthday, which would have been Friday, as well as Montal's 40th birthday.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic helicopter crash in which Agustin Escobar and his family lost their lives. Our heartfelt condolences go out to all their loved ones," Siemens said in a statement.
"Here you have visitors who were here just to see a picturesque and a legendary skyline. And unfortunately we lost five family members and a pilot to an incident," Adams said. "Again, our heart goes out to the family members."
