Will Determine The Probable Cause Of The Accident

The NTSB announced Monday it intends to hold a public board meeting Dec. 10, 2019, 9:30 a.m., to determine the probable cause of the fatal accident.

A FlyNYON- branded Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter operated by Liberty Helicopters, Inc., crashed in the East River, New York, March 11, 2018, killing all five passengers and injuring the pilot.

The NTSB issued an urgent safety recommendation just eight days after the crash, calling on the FAA to prohibit commercial flights that use passenger harness systems that do not allow for rapid release with minimal difficulty. That urgent safety recommendation was closed-acceptable action taken, July 26, 2018.

According to the NTSB's preliminary report, examination of the seats and restraint systems revealed that the five passengers onboard the helicopter were provided with airframe manufacturer-installed restraints, as well as a full body harness. The harness system was not installed by the helicopter manufacturer and was comprised of off-the-shelf components consisting of a nylon fall-protection harness that was attached at the occupants' back by a locking carabiner to a lanyard.

The lanyard was composed of multiple woven fabric loops, and the opposite end of the lanyard was secured by another locking carabiner to a hard point on the helicopter. A small pouch was attached to the harness and contained a cutting tool. Under normal circumstances, at the end of each flight, FlyNYON personnel would unscrew the locking carabiner located on the back of the passengers' harnesses so that the passengers could egress.

(NTSB image)

FMI: www.ntsb.org
Investigation Docket