Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

A Bell 206L4 LongRanger helicopter crashed into the Hudson River at about 3:15 p.m. today. A <a href="https://x.com/ABC/status/1910434672196411843">video</a> that captured the accident appears to show the airframe, without its tail boom, descending into the river also without its main rotor blades, which can be seen still rotating but separated from the rest of the helicopter, along with other parts. The main portion of the helicopter crashed into the water near Pier 25, followed by the main rotor blades further west but still in the river.
AirNav Radar flight tracking captured the final ADS-B signal showing the helicopter descending at 3,456 fpm.
The helicopter is registered to Meridian Helicopters in Broussard, Louisiana, according to the FAA’s registry database. It was operated by New York Helicopter Charter, according to the Private Aviation Safety Alliance’s database of charter operators.
According to news reports, the six people aboard the helicopter perished. The FAA issued a statement saying that it and the NTSB will investigate the accident and that the NTSB “will lead the investigation and provide any updates.”
During a briefing today, the NTSB said it had recovered the helicopter's airframe and engine, and dive teams are recovering more of the wreckage. The pilot had logged 450 hours of flight time, and the NTSB was still researching how much of that was in a Bell 206-L4. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy asked the public to provide any photos or videos of the accident to <a href="mailto:witness@ntsb.gov">witness@ntsb.gov</a>. "What we are doing here is gathering the perishable evidence, the evidence that we need to gather for our investigation," she said.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

Bell LongRanger Helicopter Crashes into Hudson River, Killing Six

Main rotor blades and the tail boom appeared to have separated from the aircraft while in flight

The main portion of the helicopter crashed into the water near Pier 25, followed by the main rotor blades further west but still in the river.

Bell LongRanger Crashes into Hudson River, Killing Six

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