Tether That Trapped Riders May Have Also Cut Fuel, Helicopter Pilot Says
- NTSB releases preliminary report on March crash off Manhattan
- All five passengers of photo-tour helicopter died in incident
A helicopter is pulled from the East River in New York City on March 12. Five passengers died when the helicopter crash landed in the East River on March 11.
Photographer: James Devaney/Getty ImagesThe pilot of the photo-tour helicopter that crash-landed in New York’s East River this month said a safety tether designed to keep passengers inside the open-door flight may have accidentally shut off the craft’s fuel, causing it to lose power.
The pilot, the only one who escaped the helicopter as it rolled over in the frigid waters, told National Transportation Safety Board investigators that the tether used by a passenger in the front seat was wrapped around an emergency fuel shut-off switch, according to a preliminary report released Monday. The aircraft lost power and glided into the water.