A helicopter that made a forced landing
An emergency fuel shut-off switch had been accidentally tripped moments before a fatal crash of a helicopter in New York's East River on March 11, a pilot told the National Transportation Safety Board in a preliminary report released Monday.
Five passengers who couldn't free themselves from their harnesses drowned in the East River when the helicopter rolled over into the water. It also provided more information into how the five passengers - all of whom died - were harnessed into the aircraft.
Each passenger was restrained in the helicopter two ways - with the helicopter manufacturer's seatbelt and shoulder harness, and by an aftermarket harness tethered to hard points on the helicopter. Some passengers were allowed to take off their regular seat belts and move closer to the door opening while still tethered to the helicopter.
The pilot then told investigators that the front passenger "turned sideways, slid across the double bench seat toward the pilot, leaned back, and extended his feet to take a photograph of his feet outside the helicopter".
The pilot said he had briefed them on how to remove the restraints in the event of an emergency during the flight. When he slowed the helicopter near Central Park so passengers could take photos, the pilot said he "noticed that the front passenger's restraint was hanging from the seat". At that point, the pilot began to turn toward the south and heard a "low rotor rpm alert in his headset".
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It is still not clear exactly what caused the engine failure, and why the pontoons on the helicopter skids failed to keep the aircraft upright after the pilot crash landed.
They flew to the Brooklyn Bridge and then continued up the East River toward Central Park, the pilot said.
An industry expert familiar with the AS350B helicopter operated by Liberty Helicopters said the pilot's description of the emergency lever position could be an indication the fuel flow had been cut off. Vance said he put the emergency lever into the "on" position before trying to restart the engine for the third and final time, the NTSB said. "He also noted that a portion of the front seat passenger's tether was underneath the lever", the report said. The pilot switched the lever back on, but it was too late to restart the engine.
Vance gave the same account of the fuel lever's position to the NYPD after he was rescued. The pilot was injured but managed to get himself out.
The pilot "kept his restraint on and reached down for the front seat passenger's carabiner attachment to the helicopter". A video of the forced landing shows the helicopter rolling into the water on the side that was less inflated. He positioned the lever back to off, hit the water, climbed up onto the belly and called for help, he said. "After the passengers were seated, loading personnel assisted them with putting on the helicopter's restraints". "The harness system was not installed by the helicopter manufacturer and was comprised of off-the-shelf components consisting of a nylon fall-protection harness that was attached at the occupants' back by a locking carabiner to a lanyard", the report said. Two of the passengers, Trevor Cadigan and Brian McDaniel, were from North Texas.
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