Five people died after a helicopter fell into the East River off of Manhattan the night of March 11. According to a report in The New York Times, the helicopter was flying along a popular route for sightseers to view the Manhattan skyline. Witnesses to the chopper crash said it had been flying too fast and came down very quickly. The helicopter lost altitude as if it were landing on solid ground, but ended up plunging into the river, the news article stated. The pilot managed to escape and climb to the top of the wreckage. He was rescued.
Emergency responders dived into the water to rescue the passengers who were wearing harnesses and had to be cut out. Responders also had to deal with the chilly water and swift currents as they worked on pulling the passengers out of the submerged helicopter. All five passengers died, two at the scene and three in local hospitals. It is not clear what caused the helicopter to crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident.
Past NYC Helicopter Crashes
The helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350 owned by Liberty Helicopters, was reportedly flying a private charter to take photos. It is quite common to see choppers over New York City’s waterways taking tourists on sightseeing trips and carrying commuters. The city has seen deadly helicopter crashes in the past.
In 2011, three tourists died after a chopper crashed into the East River while two others survived the incident. In 2004, a WNBC news helicopter crashed onto the roof in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn while covering a shooting. In that crash, all three people on board survived. In 2009, a helicopter carrying five Italian tourists was struck by a single-engine airplane over the Hudson River. In that accident, everyone on both aircraft died.
Common Causes of Helicopter Accidents
Helicopter crashes tend to result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Helicopter accidents are commonly caused by:
• Operator error: Human error is one of the most often listed causes of helicopter crashes. This may occur as a pilot plans the flight, or during the flight, or when involving the training and/or maintenance of the aircraft. When a pilot fails to operate the aircraft in accordance with its operational limitations or operates in unsafe weather or environmental conditions, the consequences can be devastating. Companies that charter helicopters are required to hire qualified pilots, maintain the helicopter and properly train pilots and maintenance personnel.
• Mechanical malfunction: When a helicopter part malfunctions or completely fails to operate as designed, a crash may occur. Mechanical malfunctions may occur due to improper design of the aircraft, inadequate testing, manufacturing defects, inadequate quality control, improper use and poor maintenance.
• Electrical issues: When an electrical source stops working or one of the electrical components begins to malfunction, a helicopter may crash.
Liability Issues in Helicopter Accidents
Often, liability for helicopter accidents may be shared among a number of different parties depending on the cause of the accident and the circumstances under which it occurred. For example, if the crash occurred due to operator incompetence or error, the operator and his or her employer may be held liable. If a mechanical malfunction occurred due to inadequate or improper maintenance, the company that owns the helicopter as well as the entity charged with its maintenance (if different) can be held liable.
In some cases, where the helicopter crash was caused by a faulty part, the manufacturer of the helicopter and/or the maker of the defective part can be held accountable. In addition, depending on the circumstances, other parties that may be held liable include air traffic controllers, airfield or helicopter pad owners, maintenance companies, etc. Those who have lost loved ones in a helicopter crash may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, lost future income and benefits, funeral and burial costs, pain and suffering, etc.
Compensation for Victims
If you or a loved one has been injured in an aviation accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an injury accident caused by negligence, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 46 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/11/nyregion/new-york-city-helicopter-crash.html