Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Last week, a New York jury awarded $116 million to the mother of the front-seat passenger who died after a doors-off helitour flight crashed into Manhattan’s East River in 2018.
Trevor Cadigan, 26, and four other passengers died after his supplemental harness became entangled with the floor-mounted fuel cutoff control lever on the single-engine 2013 Airbus AS350B2 being operated by Liberty Helicopters on behalf of “shoe selfie” aerial tour firm FlyNYON. The entanglement caused the engine to stop after the fuel lever inadvertently went into the closed position.
While the pilot was able to successfully autorotate into the river, the Dart Aerospace skid-mounted pop-out emergency floats failed to fully inflate and the helicopter rolled inverted. The pilot, who was not wearing the supplemental harness, extricated himself; however, the passengers were unable to do so and drowned. At 2019 hearings, then-NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the use of the construction-grade harnesses turned the flight into a “death trap,” and the accident was otherwise survivable.
In making the award, the jury assigned liability at 42% to FlyNYON, 38% to Liberty, and 20% to Dart. Airbus Helicopters was not found at fault. Beginning with its subsequent AS350B3 model, the OEM relocated the fuel cutoff control lever to the overhead panel. On Aug. 22, 2024, the FAA issued rule 89 FR 67834 prohibiting the use of aircraft supplemental restraint systems unless it can be demonstrated that the wearer can rapidly extricate themselves. The rule does not apply to parachute, rotorcraft external load, or public safety operations.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Jury Awards $116M in 2018 Doors-off Helitour Crash

All five passengers drowned after autorotation into NYC's East River

Then-NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said the use of construction-grade harnesses turned the flight into a “death trap” and the accident was otherwise survivable. 

Jury Awards $116M in Doors-off Helitour Crash

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

In this article

Airbus Helicopters

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NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

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Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

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Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

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