Accidents
NTSB Eyes Goose Strike in Fatal Hudson Helicopter Crash
Smithsonian analysis found goose remains on rotor blades
anced surveillance video with sequential images depicting the helicopter’s flight and breakup.
Enhanced surveillance video with sequential images depicting the helicopter’s flight and breakup (Figure 3 from the preliminary report) © NTSB

According to new NTSB docket filings, investigators are examining evidence that a Bell 206 LongRanger IV air-tour helicopter may have struck a flock of geese before breaking apart over the Hudson River near Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 10, 2025, killing the pilot and all five passengers. No probable cause has yet been determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

Witness accounts indicate the presence of birds in the helicopter’s flight path. One witness running along the Jersey City pedestrian path told the NTSB that a flock of approximately 20 large birds, believed to be geese based on their size and wingspan, took flight directly in front of her and headed eastward toward the river shortly before she heard a “bang” overhead and observed the helicopter’s tail section separate from the main body.