Thursday’s horrifying vacationer helicopter crash into the Hudson River that killed six folks was one among a number of lethal tragedies involving the plane in recent times. Not less than 32 folks have died in helicopter accidents in NYC since 1977, in keeping with The Related Press.
In 1977, the touchdown gear on a Sikorsky S-61L malfunctioned as passengers waited to board from the roof of the Pan Am Constructing at 200 Park Avenue, the place the MetLife Constructing stands immediately. The chopper tipped on its aspect, and its spinning rotor blades killed 4 folks — together with movie director Michael Findlay — and injured a fifth. A damaged piece of blade fell all the way down to the streets beneath and killed a pedestrian and injured one other.
In 1985, a Dauphin 360C helicopter operated by the Backyard Metropolis, Lengthy Island-based firm, New York Helicopter, carrying six passengers, crash-landed within the East River, killing a person recognized by studies on the time as a 40-year-old businessman from West Germany. 5 extra passengers and two crew members survived.
In 1986, WNBC site visitors reporter Jane Dornacker died in the course of a day broadcast after her helicopter crashed within the Hudson River close to forty fifth Road. ”New Jersey, the outbound Lincoln Tunnel seems to be rather a lot higher for you,” she advised the viewers at 4:46 P.M. ”In New Jersey,” she continued, earlier than going silent, the New York Occasions wrote on the time. The following factor the radio viewers heard was her repeating, “Hit the water! Hit the water! Hit the water!”
In 1997, a six-seat BK-117 helicopter owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Firm crashed into the East River after taking off from the sixtieth Road heliport — killing Craig Tate, the agency’s chief technical officer, and badly injuring a second government. Police stated the chopper crashed within the water after the plane’s tail rotor one way or the other disconnected.
In 2009, 9 folks had been killed when a Eurocopter AS350 vacationer helicopter with 5 Italian vacationers onboard collided with a small personal airplane over the Hudson River close to Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken. The flight was operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Excursions. Information company ANSA recognized the Italian vacationers as Tiziana Pedrone, Fabio Gallazzi, Giacomo Gallazzi, Michele Norelli and Filippo Norelli. The small airplane was a 1976 Piper. It misplaced contact with the bottom over the river between the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels shortly after takeoff, sources stated on the time. All 4 passengers onboard had been killed.
In 2018, an “open door” Liberty Helicopters flight operated for FlyNyon, additionally a Eurocopter AS350, went down within the East River, killing 5 folks. Two passengers died on the scene and three others had been pronounced lifeless on the hospital. A jury later awarded the household of the victims $116 million in a lawsuit filed towards the corporate and the pilot, Richard Vance, who survived the crash.
Gary C. Robb, the lead legal professional who represented the mother and father of 2018 East River catastrophe sufferer Trevor Cadigan, stated Thursday’s crash was “a tragic day for aviation” and known as for an investigation whereas talking with The Submit after viewing disturbing video of the calamity.
“Why did the emergency flotation system not work? You noticed the three giant pontoons – the pilot knew they had been going to be touchdown within the water. It’s an enormous handgrip he has to tug to activate the pontoons, like a set off launch,” he famous.
“Why had been the occupants unable to extricate whereas the cabin was only some ft beneath water?” he puzzled, including, “What triggered the in-flight malfunction?”
In 2019, an Agusta A109E helicopter crash-landed on the roof of a 54-story constructing in Midtown Manhattan, killing the pilot, later recognized as Tim McCormack. McCormack was the one individual onboard and was often known as a well-respected pilot. It was speculated by airport officers that he suffered a mechanical failure whereas in flight. The helicopter took flight from the thirty fourth Road heliport and went down simply 11 minutes later, cops stated on the time. A bit of particles from the chopper fell over 700 ft and landed in entrance of a black GMC Suburban SUV parked on the road beneath.
Talking about Thursday’s lethal crash, Mayor Eric Adams puzzlingly likened the catastrophe to Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s “Miracle on the Hudson” when US Airways Flight 1549 splashed down within the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009. However in that catastrophe, everybody survived.
“It’s virtually paying homage to the airplane happening on the Hudson River. Thank God we didn’t lose any lives again then,” Adams advised reporters close to the scene.
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