History of helicopter crashes in New York

A helicopter that crashed in the Hudson River in New York City is pulled out of the water on May 15, 2019. The pilot, who was the only person aboard the helicopter, survived the incident. PHOTO: AFP

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - A deadly helicopter crash on the roof of a New York City skyscraper on Monday (June 10) was the latest in a series of accidents involving choppers in the largest US city over the years.

The following are details of those incidents:

- On May 16, 1977, five people were killed when a helicopter blade broke off a chopper on a helipad at the top of a skyscraper atop General Central Terminal, according to media reports at the time. Most of the victims died when they were struck by the blade on the helipad, before part of the blade plummeted to the street and killed a woman.

The accident, at what was then called the Pan Am building and since renamed the MetLife building, led authorities to ban helipads from Manhattan rooftops.

- On April 15, 1997, Colgate-Palmolive executive Craig Tate died when the helicopter in which he was a passenger crashed into the East River off Manhattan, according to media reports at the time. A total of four people were aboard the chopper, including one who was badly hurt.

- On Aug 8, 2009, nine people died when a helicopter and a small plane collided in mid-air and both aircraft fell into the Hudson River next to Manhattan. Five Italian tourists in the helicopter were among the victims.

- On March 11, 2018, five passengers aboard a helicopter died when it crashed into the East River, while the pilot survived. The open-door flight was a private "photo shoot"charter.

The pilot freed himself and was rescued, but the passengers were wearing tight harnesses they were unable to cut and remove.

The incident led federal authorities to announce such "doors off" flights would be prohibited unless passengers had quick-release restraints.

- On May 15, 2019, a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River next to New York City shortly after taking off from Manhattan, injuring the pilot and a dockworker.

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