NTSB cites geese as likely cause of last year’s fatal chopper crash in Hudson River

The remains of several geese were found on a helicopter that crashed in the Hudson River last year, killing six, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB.

What were the facts of the crash? All six on board a sightseeing helicopter in New York City died on April 10, 2025, as the chopper came apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River. It was the first helicopter crash in New York City since 2019. The flight lasted just less than 18 minutes before crashing, killing the pilot and the Spanish tourist family of five. The victims included Siemens executive Agustin Escobar and his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, a global manager at an energy technology company, as well as their three children, according to the Associated Press. Witnesses near the crash scene reported the helicopter breaking into pieces in midair, spewing smoke, and spinning uncontrollably before crashing into the Hudson. Aviation lawyer and veteran U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot Justin Green told the Associated Press at the time that there would have been no way for the pilot to land safely once the helicopter broke apart.

What led investigators to identify geese as a possible cause? Several witnesses said they saw geese flying in the area at the time of the crash, according to documents submitted with the NTSB’s preliminary report. The remains of several geese were found on the helicopter, leading investigators to suspect a bird strike as the cause of the crash, according to the Associated Press, citing NTSB investigators. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that helicopters have a unique vulnerability to bird strikes due to a lower flying altitude.

The report is not final and does definitively identify the cause of the crash.