The Bell 206L-4 Helicopter Had Three Adults and Three Children On Board

A Bell 206L-4 helicopter with three adults and three children on board came apart and crashed into the Hudson River on April 10. There were no survivors.

“Six innocent souls have lost their lives, and we pray for them and their families,” expressed New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

The Bell passenger helicopter, registered N216MH, was owned by Meridian Helicopters and operated for tours by New York Helicopter Charter. It was manufactured in 2004 and last issued an airworthiness certificate in 2016 with a 2029 expiration date.

At around 3:00 pm on April 10, the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV departed from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (JRB). Flight tracking data shows that the helicopter flew southbound before doing a 180 and heading north. It proceeded along a common river sightseeing route above the Hudson, using the George Washington Bridge as its turn-around point.

After turning back towards JRB, the helicopter made it within just a few miles from the heliport until it reportedly slowed and began to lose control. Footage of the event shows the entire tail section and main rotor breaking off and the fuselage descending rapidly towards the water below. It impacted the Hudson River inverted at approximately 3:20.

Six were killed in the crash, including Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children aged 4, 5, and 11. They came from Barcelona, Spain, to tour New York City. The pilot has not yet been identified.

Emergency crews used a crane vessel to pull the wreckage out of the Hudson later that night as the NTSB and FAA stepped in to investigate.

FMI: https://newyorkhelicopter.com/charters