Viewing the Manhattan skyline from any vantage point is impressive, but when seen from aloft the Big Apple skyline becomes a breathtaking experience. In March 2018, a New York tour operator launched an Airbus AS350 helicopter with a pilot and five passengers for what was expected to be a 30-minute dusk flight near the East River. The spectacular element of the flight—in addition to flying at 500 feet—was that most of the helicopter’s doors were removed, allowing passengers to extend their feet outside the machine. Riders were kept in their seats by a special restraining system that needed to be cut off during an emergency. The preflight briefing included instructions from the pilot on how to locate and use the cutting tool for the harnesses if it were needed.
NTSB Says Enough to Helicopter Flights With Open Doors
Key Takeaways:
- A 2018 doors-off helicopter tour over NYC crashed into the East River after a passenger restraint system became tangled in the fuel shutoff valve, leading to engine failure and the drowning of five passengers.
- The five passengers were unable to escape their complex, non-manufacturer-installed supplemental harnesses, which required a cutting tool for release, while the pilot, using standard restraints, successfully escaped.
- The NTSB determined that the tour operators exploited an "aerial photography" loophole to avoid stricter commercial air tour regulations, leading to deficient safety management and the use of dangerous, difficult-to-release passenger restraints, prompting recommendations for regulatory reform.
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