An unidentified British woman, pending notification of next of kin, was killed this afternoon (October 4) after a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, used for tourists, sputtered out of control and crashed into New York City's East River shortly after taking off and attempting to land. The pilot is a highly experienced American pilot with 20 years' flight experience in the NYC area; all five passengers were from the United Kingdom, although three of the passengers taken to local hospitals are in critical condition. Another passenger was treated on the pier with minor injuries.
COMMENT: The Bell 206 is one of the most widely used helicopters in use and has been adopted by many broadcast networks as well as for business and air taxi purposes. The aircraft sank very quickly; it is believed that the woman who died was killed by debris. The accident is under investigation. We'll provide updates as they become available.
