NYC tour helicopter lands at Bayonne port after engine issues
Two occupants escaped uninjured when a maintenance flight came down at the Port Jersey Marine Terminal Tuesday morning.
By Vikram Harrison ·
A sightseeing helicopter operating out of New York City made an emergency landing Tuesday morning at a cargo facility in Bayonne, New Jersey. The aircraft touched down on a road at the Port Jersey Marine Terminal around 8:55 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Two people were inside the Bell 206L-4 helicopter at the time of the crash. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed that neither occupant was injured.
The pilot contacted air traffic control to report possible engine trouble. Audio posted on the ATC app captures the pilot declaring “Mayday, mayday, mayday” and requesting to land outside the airport. The helicopter touched down several minutes later just outside the container terminal. The aircraft, built in 1999, is operated by FlyNYON. Messages seeking comment were left for the company, which was conducting a maintenance flight.
Video from the scene shows part of the helicopter’s tail resting on the pavement approximately 30 feet from the main fuselage. The incident adds to recent scrutiny of the tourist helicopter industry. Last year, a similar Bell 206L-4 crashed into the Hudson River, killing all six people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board found goose remains on that aircraft, suggesting a bird strike may have contributed to the accident.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General announced an audit of sightseeing helicopter regulations last week. The agency cited longstanding concerns about safety standards and whether current rules provide adequate protection for passengers. Assistant Inspector General Marshall Jackson noted that at least 58 tourist helicopter crashes have occurred in the U.S. since 2008, including 11 fatal incidents.
