Former NTSB Chair on Hudson River Helicopter Crash Investigation

Initial Crash Details

• 🚁 A helicopter carrying two adults and three children crashed into the Hudson River near Jersey City.
• 👂 Witness reports mentioned hearing a "boom" or noise, but investigators will correlate this with other physical and data evidence.

Pilot Protocol and Investigation Process

• ✈️ The primary rule in an emergency is to "fly the aircraft," followed by navigation and then communication.
• 🧩 The NTSB views accident investigations as a "jigsaw puzzle," piecing together all available evidence to determine the cause and prevent future incidents.
• 🌊 The helicopter appeared to have flipped upside down after landing, with its fuselage submerged and skids on the water.

Flotation Devices and Buoyancy

• ⚠️ Investigators will determine why the helicopter flipped if its flotation devices inflated as expected.
• 🤔 While flotation devices are designed to keep helicopters afloat and upright, there are no immediate known cases where they proved counterproductive.

Rescue Efforts and Ongoing Investigation

• 🚨 Emergency services, including FDNY, NYPD, and EMS, were on the scene with extensive rescue and recovery teams.
• 🥶 The cold temperatures and poor visibility posed challenges for the recovery and investigation efforts.
• 📰 Authorities indicated that a press conference would be held once more information was gathered, as the situation was still considered "fluid."
• 💔 Sadly, at least one fatality was presumed, with two adults and three children on board.