The Cause That Could Have Provoked the Helicopter Accident in New York

The tragic helicopter accident that occurred this Thursday in New York has left six fatalities. Among them, a Spanish couple, their three minor children, and the pilot of the aircraft. The incident took place during a sightseeing flight over the island of Manhattan.

The helicopter, a Bell 206L LongRanger, was operated by the company New York Helicopter Tours. According to Flight Radar records, the flight had lasted 15 minutes and covered just 3.7 miles (6 kilometers). It departed from the Downtown Manhattan heliport and flew over the coast of New Jersey before losing control at the height of Hoboken, near Pier 40.

Images captured by witnesses show a dramatic scene: the tail of the helicopter detaches and falls into the water. Meanwhile, the upper rotors spin alone in the air before also crashing into the river. Everything happened at 3:15 PM (local time) on an especially cold day, with temperatures close to 41°F (5°C).

The Reasons Are Being Analyzed

Initial investigations point to a possible mechanical failure as the main cause of the accident. Experts believe that the helicopter may have lost the main rotors in mid-flight. These would have struck the tail, causing its breakage and subsequent uncontrolled fall.

The deceased couple was formed by Agustín Escobar Cañadas, former CEO of Siemens Spain, and Mercè Camprubí Montal, a senior executive at Siemens Energy and descendant of former FC Barcelona presidents. Their children, just 4, 5, and 11 years old, were also on board the helicopter.

The owner of the tourist company has indicated that the aircraft may have run out of fuel, although this hypothesis has not yet been confirmed. The Bell 206L model has a capacity of 111 gallons (419 liters) and is designed for short and medium-distance flights.

According to aeronautical engineer Pere Pla, such a sudden fall should not have occurred just from the loss of the rotor. He believes the problem could have been more severe, such as the detachment of the blades damaging the tail engine.

Pla rules out the possibility of a collision with another object, such as a drone or a bird. His main theory is a maintenance failure, something uncommon but not impossible. The investigation is ongoing.