Last week, a sightseeing helicopter broke up in midair and crashed into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and the family of five on board. The Federal Aviation Administration shut down New York Helicopter, the company involved in the crash, on Monday following a bizarre chain of events that began with the company’s director of operations agreeing to suspend flights until the investigation was completed and his alleged immediate retaliatory firing.
Given the nature of the crash, it was understandable that the FAA would request that New York Helicopter cease operations. There was no conclusive evidence to show that whatever caused the crash could not happen to another of the company’s helicopters.
The National Transportation Safety Board recovered the main rotor, tail rotor, and roof beam and relocated them for inspection. The critical details will eventually come to light.
Jason Costello, New York Helicopter’s director of operations, has agreed to halt flights on Sunday. However, CNN reports that CEO Michael Roth took immediate action to keep his helicopters flying. Roth fired Costello and then sent an email to the FAA, claiming that the director lacked authority to halt flights because “he was no longer an employee.”
Senator Schumer Urged The FAA To Strip Operator Of Its Air Carrier Certificate
While Roth allegedly fought to keep his company flying, Senator Chuck Schumer urged the FAA to revoke the operator’s air carrier certificate. The agency complied, citing Costello’s firing. During a press conference, the Senate Minority Leader claimed that the problem was not limited to New York Helicopter, but rather a systemic issue affecting all of the city’s operators. According to The Guardian, Schumer stated:
“There is one thing for sure about New York City’s helicopter tour companies: they have a deadly track record. Eleven people killed in the last few years, and it is usually the companies, not the pilots, that are openly manipulating FAA rules, cutting corners and could well be putting profits over people.”
The crash investigation will face a few significant challenges, including the fact that the helicopter involved was not equipped with a flight data recorder. An earlier helicopter crash this year will most likely result in a much faster investigation.
An unsecured penguin in the cabin of a Robinson R44 fell into the pilot’s controls. At an altitude of just under 50 feet, the pilots lost control of the helicopter and crashed. Fortunately, the penguin and everyone else onboard were unharmed.
