Cause unclear in Hudson River chopper crash that killed six

Federal authorities on Friday hesitated to list a preliminary cause of the crash because nothing can be ruled out yet. National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy gave a Friday press conference on the helicopter that broke apart and crashed into the Hudson River the afternoon before. Investigators have a lot of information, but none of it will be shared until it's confirmed to avoid speculation, she said. It will be some time before a probable cause for the crash is shared, she added. However, the chairwoman did confirm that the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with rotorcraft and instrument ratings.

Six people—three adults and three children—died in the crash, New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday evening. The helicopter carried a pilot and a family of five visiting from Spain on a sightseeing tour. All six bodies were recovered from the river, the mayor said. Bystander footage showed the helicopter free-falling upside-down into the New Jersey side of the river. Crash footage also showed the chopper’s rotator blades detached and falling separately from the fuselage, which Homendy confirmed. She said a thorough examination of the wreckage was necessary to understand what caused the helicopter to fail.

What are investigators doing now? The safety board’s investigation could not begin until this morning, after rescue crews located victims and recovered the aircraft debris, Homendy clarified. Investigators removed the engine and other key components of the helicopter for closer examination, she said. The team also focused on moving the body of the helicopter indoors for closer inspection and turning its body right-side up, she added. New York Police Department divers continue searching the river for more debris, specifically the main rotor, the transmission, tail, and roof structure. Investigators found the pilot was experienced, having accumulated over 780 hours of total flight time by the end of March, according to a logbook. Homendy said investigators planned to calculate the number of hours the pilot recorded in the Bell 206 involved in the crash, noting that the pilot previously flew a Robinson 44 helicopter. 

Dig Deeper: Read my initial report on the accident from Thursday afternoon.