Helicopter that crashed, killing Siemens executive, had prior mechanical fault

The sightseeing helicopter that broke apart mid-air and crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday, killing all six people on board, had a documented mechanical issue months prior, according to a New York Post report.

Federal Aviation Administration records show the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, experienced a mechanical issue with its transmission assembly in September 2024. The aircraft, built in 2004 and certified airworthy through 2029, had logged more than 12,700 flight hours.

The crash claimed the lives of Siemens Mobility executive Agustn Escobar, his wife, and their three children, along with the pilot. The incident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is examining the pilot’s background, the incomplete wreckage, and the operator’s maintenance records.

Investigators are also reviewing the helicopter’s compliance with two recent FAA airworthiness directives.

The first, issued in December 2022, required inspection and possible replacement of main rotor blades due to risks of “delamination,” a defect where internal layers separate, potentially leading to rotor failure. The second, from May 2023, ordered testing of tail rotor shafts across several models, including the one involved in the crash.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said on Friday that the rotors of the ill-fated helicopter are still missing. NYPD divers continue to search the Hudson for key parts of the wreckage.

Video footage showed the helicopter disintegrating in the air before splashing into the river, with debris and spinning rotor parts scattering in different directions.

New York Helicopter CEO Michael Roth said he had “no clue” how the accident happened.

“I’m absolutely devastated,” Roth told the New York Post. “The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter. And I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business.”

He added, “The only thing I could guess — I got no clue — is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. But you gotta remember something, these are machines and they break.”