NTSB Preliminary Findings Point to Bird Strike in Fatal Hudson River Helicopter Crash
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says preliminary findings indicate that a bird strike may have played a role in the fatal tour helicopter crash that occurred over New York’s Hudson River in April 2025, killing all six people on board.
Investigators found bird remains on the rotor blades and horizontal stabilizer of the Bell 206L-4 helicopter. Witness statements reporting a large flock of geese in the area shortly before the crash have also been added to the investigation.
The victims included a Spanish family and the pilot. Among those killed were Agustín Escobar, CEO of Siemens Mobility Rail Infrastructure, his wife, and their three children.
The NTSB stressed that while the bird strike findings are significant, the definitive cause of the accident has not yet been determined. The agency’s final report will examine in detail how the suspected bird strike may have affected the helicopter’s structural integrity and controllability.
