NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – After six people died in a helicopter crash in the Hudson River, Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on the FAA to revoke the operating helicopter tour company’s license.
A Bell 206 L-4 helicopter crashed into the Hudson River Thursday just after 3 p.m., according to the officials. Six people died in the crash, including a family visiting from Spain and the pilot, according to officials.
The helicopter was operated by New York Helicopter Charter Inc., according to the National Transit Safety Board. It was the helicopter’s eighth trip of the day, and it had last been inspected on March 1, according to the NTSB.
In a news conference Sunday, Schumer called on the FAA to revoke the company’s certificates as the investigation continues.
“There is one thing for sure about New York City’s helicopter tour companies: they have a deadly track record,” Schumer said. “I am urging the FAA to pull their operating certificate immediately and cease flights until their full investigation is complete.”
New York Helicopter Tours' website shows no available bookings through May 1. Schumer also called on the FAA to increase surprise inspections at other helicopter tour companies.
“One of the things we can do to honor those lives and try and save others is to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Schumer said.
In a statement posted to Instagram, New York Helicopter Tours said it is “profoundly saddened” by the accident and still focused on safety.
“At New York Helicopter Tours, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew has always been the cornerstone of our operations,” representatives of the company wrote. “Our immediate focus is supporting the families and their loved ones affected by this tragedy, as well as fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB investigations.”
In the last eight years, the New York Helicopter has been through a bankruptcy and faces ongoing lawsuits over alleged debts. Phones rang unanswered at the company’s offices Friday.
In 2013, one of the company’s helicopters suddenly lost power in midair, and the pilot maneuvered it to a safe landing on pontoons in the Hudson. FAA data shows the helicopter that crashed Thursday was built in 2004.
According to FAA records, the helicopter had a maintenance issue last September involving its transmission assembly. The helicopter had logged 12,728 total flight hours at the time, according to the records.
This story comprises reporting from the Associated Press.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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