Little did they know, tragedy would soon strike—a catastrophic helicopter crash on April 10 claimed the lives of the six Spaniards from Barcelona. The Eurocopter AS350 helicopter, flown under common carriage regulations by New York Helicopter, came apart in mid-air before careening down into the East River. Among the victims were Agustín Escobar, 49, and Mercè Camprubí Montal, 39, along with their three children: Victor, 4, Mercedes, 8, and Agustin, 10. While this incident is a tragedy, it should prompt a serious inquiry into safety protocols and the experience of the pilot.
The helicopter was flown by 36-year-old former Navy SEAL and active duty Department of Defense employee Seankese Johnson. This summer, Johnson enthusiastically became a commercially rated pilot. In all, he had logged 790 hours of total flight time, but less than 50 hours on that make and model plane. After each stretch of ten days on duty, he relished ten days away from work. April 10 was a historic day indeed, as that flight also ushered in David’s triumphant return after a well-earned sabbatical.
As it crashed, onlookers watched as the helicopter disintegrated in midair, tail and main rotor separating from the aircraft. Eyewitness testimony relays how, just moments before the helicopter exploded and plummeted into the river, they heard multiple loud “bangs.”
“Several witnesses described hearing several loud ‘bangs’ emanating from the helicopter before it broke up and descended into the river,” – National Transportation Safety Board – AP News
In the aftermath of the crash, investigators pieced together important information. The helicopter had two days previously flown for 50 hours since its last detail inspection on 27 February. The helicopter’s airframe had accumulated just shy of 13,000 hours. At the same time, the engine itself logged more than 23,000 hours. Taken together, these statistics raise serious questions about the practices underlying maintenance management and aircraft safety.
Al Yurman, a veteran aviation expert, perhaps reflecting Johnson’s relative inexperience, said perhaps they should have seen this coming.
“It’s quite sophisticated for that type of work,” – Al Yurman – AP News
He might even have pointed out the pilot’s unfamiliarity, having only limited experience in this specific aircraft model. In a recent interview, Yurman indicated he would have preferred someone with greater experience. Once the full report is released, he thinks they’ll have a much clearer picture.
The driver of the investigation will be whether Johnson’s admittedly limited experience with this helicopter type factored into the accident. Aviation expert Justin Green told Insider that a tail strike is not uncommon. This risk is exacerbated if a pilot improperly manages a loss of power emergency.
“A tail strike could be caused by a pilot not handling a loss of power emergency and allowing the rotor rpm to decay, which makes the rotors flap up and down more and that can cause a strike,” – Justin Green – AP News
The dangerous incident also represents a potential end to a very dark chapter on helicopter tourism in New York City. Disasters in waterways near Manhattan since 2005, five commercial sightseeing helicopters have crashed in the rivers surrounding Manhattan. Tragically, as of today, these crashes have taken 20 lives. This newest crash raises fresh concerns about safety practices. The industry was already facing intense criticism for its operational practices.
