New York Helicopters, the company behind the crashed helicopter in New York with flights at $250 already had an accident in 2013
The Bell 206, a helicopter model similar to the one in the crash, is described on its website as the “safest and most reliable in the world.”
On the afternoon of Thursday, April 10, a tourist helicopter crashed into the Hudson River in New York City. The incident occurred near the West Side Highway and Spring Street. Shortly after the crash, authorities confirmed that all six people on board had died.
The aircraft, a Bell 206, belonged to New York Helicopter Tours, a company that offers panoramic flights over the city’s landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, the Hudson River, and Manhattan’s skyline. The exact cause of the crash remains unknown. However, the company’s executive director, Michael Roth, told the New York Post that the helicopter apparently lost its blades—possibly due to a bird strike or mechanical failure.
About New York Helicopter tours
New York Helicopter Tours is one of several companies that offer sightseeing flights and charter services in New York. Its tours, lasting between 15 and 30 minutes, fly over iconic locations such as Central Park, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and Lower Manhattan.
These helicopter rides are among the most popular tourist experiences in the city. In fact, New York Helicopter alone draws an estimated 30,000 passengers annually. It offers three tours from New York starting at $275 per person, and operates additional flights from New Jersey with four tour options starting at $250.
Despite presenting itself as a company with a strong safety record, this is not the first accident involving New York Helicopter Tours. The company claims on its website to have operated in the U.S. for 30 years, employing FAA-certified pilots with thousands of hours of flight experience.
In 2013, one of its helicopters lost power while transporting a Swedish family, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River near Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Thankfully, everyone survived. Two years later, another of its helicopters crashed shortly after takeoff during a flight in New Jersey.
What was the model of helicopter that crashed?
Authorities initially reported the crashed helicopter as a Bell 205, though it closely resembles the Bell 206 LIV Long Ranger—a model also used by the company. According to New York Helicopter Tours’ website, this model is described as one of the “safest and most reliable helicopters in the world.” It can seat up to seven passengers, has a cruising speed of 110 miles per hour, and can fly for up to three hours.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams says a family of Spanish tourists, including three children, died Thursday in a helicopter crash in the Hudson River that killed six people. pic.twitter.com/07y6jRwQqf
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 10, 2025
One of its standout features is its maneuverability, which allows for takeoffs from heliports close to New York City. While it has not been used in military operations, the aircraft was originally developed with the U.S. Army in mind, making it a notable piece of aviation history.
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