'Horror On The Hudson' Crash Claims Tourist Lives

August 10, 2009 at 8:39 AM | by JetSetCD | Comments (0)

On Saturday, just after noon in New York City, yet another crash took place in the Hudson River as a tour helicopter and small airplane collided in the air and then dropped into the river, killing 9 people.

The latest reports indicate that 7 of the 9 bodies have been recovered, along with the fuselage of the crumpled Liberty Tours helicopter and the black box; the small Piper PA-32 plane remains underwater. This tragedy took place near the same spot on the river where US Airways Flight 1549 safely landed after a mid-air bird strike causes it to use the river as a runway. However, that incident was tagged "Miracle On The Hudson" for its incredible story including no loss of life; this last Saturday's accident is instead branded "Horror On The Hudson."

While the exact reason for the collision is not yet known, witnesses on the ground report watching the private plane—heading from Teterboro airport to Ocean City, NJ with two men and a teenager onboard— veer and clip the rotors of the helicopter, which sheered off one plane wing and all of the helicopter rotors, sending both into a downward plunge.

Although any aviation tragedy stirs public sympathies and curiosity, this one is especially poignant considering that the helicopter, a standard tourist one which had just left the West 34th Street heliport bound for a scenic loop around the Statue Of Liberty, was carrying five Italian tourists. Actually, it almost took seven but a mom and her son were too late for the trip after her son stubbornly (and wisely) refused to go.

As we are in the height of tourist season, we doubt that this crash will much impact Liberty Tours' business, or even have an effect on the crowded airspace over the Hudson River, frequently filled as it is with airplanes, private planes, tour helicopters, police helicopters, traffic helicopters, airport transport helicopters, and private helicopters.

USA Today notes that the aircraft "wereflying below 1,100 feet over the river. Pilots [in this area] are responsible for avoiding other traffic." Therefore, it's anyone's game over the Hudson; we only hope that this accident encourages more rules or greater safety for flying in the area. After all, we personally live directly under these skies and don't want one of the many aircraft we see every day to straight out fall on us.

[Image: New York Daily News/Fox News]

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