11 March Helicopter crash in East River (NYC)
A helicopter pilot reports an engine failure before ditching into New York's East River.
Summary
On March 11, 2018, a Liberty Helicopters AS350 (N350LH) operating a "doors-off" photo flight experienced a sudden engine failure over New York City. The pilot successfully ditched the aircraft in the East River near Roosevelt Island, but the helicopter quickly capsized. This recording captures the distress call and the subsequent coordination of nearby helicopters to assist in the search and rescue efforts.
Analysis
The recording begins with Helicopter 350 Lima Hotel (350LH) requesting clearance to transit the East River at 2,000 feet. The tone is routine until the pilot abruptly interrupts the frequency with a "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" call, reporting an engine failure. There is a brief moment of friction as the LaGuardia controller, dealing with "broken" audio, asks the pilot to repeat the message. The pilot firmly clarifies, "It was a Mayday call, LaGuardia," emphasizing the gravity of the situation as the aircraft descended toward the water.
This incident is particularly notable for the rapid response of other helicopter pilots in the vicinity. Pilots with callsigns "Five Alpha Golf" and "Two Seven Whisky Alpha" immediately volunteered to divert from their routes to locate the downed aircraft. Within minutes, 27 Whisky Alpha provided the chilling confirmation that the helicopter was inverted (upside down) in the water and that only the pilot was visible on top of the floats.
From an aviation safety perspective, this event was a watershed moment. Although the pilot reported an engine failure, the NTSB investigation later determined that the engine was functional but had been starved of fuel. A passenger’s floor-mounted harness tether had inadvertently snagged the emergency fuel shut-off lever. Because it was a "doors-off" flight, the passengers were wearing specialized safety harnesses that, while preventing them from falling out of the cabin, also made it nearly impossible for them to escape once the helicopter flipped over in the water.
The tragedy resulted in the deaths of all five passengers, while the pilot was the sole survivor. The aftermath of this event led to an emergency FAA order grounding certain "doors-off" flights and a permanent change in how supplemental passenger restraint systems are designed and approved. It serves as a stark reminder of how a seemingly minor ergonomic issue can lead to a catastrophic chain of events in a high-pressure environment.