Thursday’s NYC crash the latest in dozens of helicopter-related deaths there

• The deadly crash in the Hudson River on Thursday is only the latest in a long line of helicopter-related incidents in the New York City metropolitan area. There have been more than two dozen fatalities since 1977.
• Advocacy groups point to the roughly 30,000 tourist flights taking off from helipads downtown as a long-standing nuisance for New Yorkers.
• Officials at the federal and local levels are looking to either limit the number of flights or require them to be electric once the federal government approves the new technology.

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New York City officials stood behind a podium Thursday afternoon to give updates on the tourist helicopter that had crashed into the Hudson River earlier that day. Six perished in the crash, including a CEO of tech company Siemens and his family.

“Our hearts go out to the families,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “It’s almost reminiscent of the plane going down here on the Hudson River.”

While Adams references the Airbus A320 that crash landed into the Hudson River on Jan. 15, 2009, after losing engine power due to striking a flock of birds, the New York metropolitan area has seen more recent helicopter crashes. 

According to the Associated Press, the metro had seen at least 32 people die in helicopter crashes dating back to 1977. Since 1977, rules have tightened where an aircraft can land. Most recently, a helicopter crashed into an office building in Midtown Manhattan on a foggy day in 2019. 

A few weeks before that crash, a helicopter pilot was pulled from the Hudson River after his aircraft plummeted into the water. A tourism helicopter collided with a private plane over the Hudson River in 2009, killing the Italian family aboard that was sightseeing, AP reports. Another sightseeing helicopter crashed into the Hudson two years prior, with passengers making it out alive.

‘Disaster waiting to happen’

New York City group “Stop the Chop” spoke to Staten Island-based SILive about how the January 2025 collision between an Army helicopter and an inbound commercial flight into Reagan National Airport. They say it should have been a wake-up call for city officials.

Founder Andrew Rosenthal said helicopters in the city create a dangerous situation. He says it could lead to a crash landing in one of the country’s most densely populated areas.

When not deadly, a local nuisance

The advocacy organization has long pushed for tighter regulations on the number of non-essential helicopter flights around the city. They say the roughly 30,000 tourist flights above their heads annually disrupt businesses, harm the environment and pose a safety risk. 

Just last month, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J., called on the Department of Transportation to address air congestion in the New York Metro.

“Since coming to Congress, I have consistently worked to address the impacts of non-essential helicopter traffic, working directly with the FAA and introducing legislation to adjust traffic patterns to limit disruptions in our community and curb helicopter noise,” he said. “It’s vital that the new administration ensures there is stability at the FAA and that we have the staff, resources, and rules in place to keep our passengers and aviation professionals safe.” 

Legislation incoming

His bill, the Communities Before Air Tourism Act, would require the Federal Aviation Administration and National Park Service (NPS) to consult with the communities living under prospective helicopter routes when considering Air Tour Management Voluntary Agreements.

Locally, the New York City Council has considered multiple bills to mitigate the heavy air traffic over their constituents’ heads.

One measure would ban non-essential flights from the two city-owned downtown helipads. The other would only allow electric helicopters to fly from those locations once the FAA certifies them.