Federal investigators released a preliminary report on May 7, 2025, detailing the New York City sightseeing helicopter crash that occurred on April 10, 2025, killing all six people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) report includes images showing the fuselage separating from the helicopter's tail midair.
According to the NTSB report, the fuselage was found north of the Holland Tunnel ventilation towers at a depth of about 6 ft. The main rotor and tail boom sections were located north of the fuselage, submerged to about 30 ft. Debris was also recovered from the river's surface and a rooftop near the Hoboken, New Jersey, transit building.
Witness Accounts and Investigation Details
Witnesses reported hearing loud "bangs" from the helicopter before it crashed into the river. The report, released by federal investigators, does not address the cause of the crash. The helicopter had been operated about 50 hours since its last inspection on Feb. 27, 2025.
FAA records show a maintenance issue last September involving the helicopter's transmission assembly. The pilot, 36-year-old Seankese Johnson, had logged 790 hours of flight time and fewer than 50 hours in a Bell 206L-4, according to the NTSB. On April 10, Johnson was on his eighth flight of the day after returning from his "10 days on/10 days off schedule".
FDNY received notice of the crash at 3:17 p.m. near Pier 40 on the New Jersey side of the river. The victims included Agustin Escobar, 49, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, 39, and their three children. The helicopter tour company is cooperating with authorities in the investigation.