The aviation regulator of the USA has issued an emergency order grounding the helicopter tour company behind last week's deadly helicopter crash in New York.
The FAA has issued the emergency order grounding New York Helicopter Charter, Inc., which operated the Bell 206 helicopter that crashed Thursday in the Hudson River.
As per a report from NTSB,
On April 10, 2025, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a Bell 206L-4 helicopter, N216MH, rapidly descended into the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey. The six occupants were fatally injured.
The helicopter was being operated by New York Helicopters as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 air tour flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took the action after it learned the company's operations chief -- who had agreed Sunday to halt flights voluntarily -- was fired, acting administrator Chris Rocheleau said in a statement.
“The FAA is taking this action in part because after the company’s director of operations voluntarily shut down flights, he was fired,” acting administrator Chris Rocheleau said on X.
A Spanish business executive, his wife and three children died along with the pilot when the helicopter operated by New York Helicopter Tours malfunctioned and plunged into the Hudson River on Thursday.
The family was on a tourism flight over Manhattan, described by the operator as the "ultimate sightseeing tour of New York City."
According to the FAA's order, the head of operations at New York Helicopter was fired shortly after he agreed to a request by the agency on Sunday to shut down flights the crash was investigated.
New York Helicopter chief executive Michael Roth notified the FAA in an email that he did not authorize a cease of operations and that the person who agreed to do so was no longer with the company, according to the FAA.
"The immediate firing of the director of operations raises serious safety concerns," the FAA said in its emergency order.
If New York Helicopter does not surrender its air-carrier certificate immediately, it will be hit with legal action including civil fines of as much as $17,062 a day until it complies, the FAA told Roth in the letter.
The civil aviation authority already announced reviews of the helicopter tour operator's license and safety record.
While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the crash, the video of the incident has emerged showing the fuselage apparently becoming detached from the rotor.
The recent crash has criticized the US aviation safety after a string of deadly crashes, including the collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington in January that claimed 67 lives.
On the helicopter crash, New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke during a joint news conference with the FDNY and NYPD.
"Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard," Adams said. "It's almost reminiscent of the plane going down here on the Hudson River. Thank God we didn't lose any lives back then. It's still fresh and still new, the investigation is ongoing, and … the family members … we lift them up in prayer."
Key components of the Bell 206 L-4 helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River last week were recovered Monday, greatly aiding the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the fatal accident.
FAA has began a comprehensive review of the company’s operations. The review, known as a Certificate Holder Evaluation Program (CHEP), determines whether an operator complies with applicable regulation and effectively manages safety, and identifies hazards and risks so the FAA and operator can mitigate them.
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