Manhattan, NY – A federal report says a helicopter that crashed into the East River off New York City on a sightseeing tour last year was carrying too much weight.
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Thursday’s report from the National Transportation Safety Board doesn’t conclude what caused the crash. That will likely be determined in two months.
But the report says the Bell 206 chopper was carrying an estimated 3,228 pounds when it crashed shortly after takeoff in September 2011. The aircraft’s capacity was 3,200 pounds.
The accident killed three people. The pilot and one passenger survived.
The NTSB report says 56-year-old pilot Paul Dudley told investigators he asked passengers’ weights and calculated they wouldn’t be too heavy. But the surviving passenger said Dudley didn’t ask or calculate the total weight.
Dudley didn’t immediately return a message Thursday.
if it’s rated at 3,200 pound loading, and 3,228 pounds, which is just 28 over the limit, or less than one percent… is enough to put the copter over the edge, then it seems there ain’t much of a safety factor.
this privet company is responsible let them pay the all expanse and overtime for the New York City..
Is this supposed to be a sad joke or something? The NTSB Should be ashamed to release such a report. I guess we could expect Congress to pass a bill That every person has to go on the scale before riding a chopper !!
This is exactly what I predicted right here on VIN when the original story came out. It was clear that at least one woman on this helicopter was morbidly obese and had no business going on it, putting everyone on the helicopter in peril. To the nasty person that I recall commenting to me that I knew more than the NTSB, I say to you ha!
3200 was meant to be the number with an obvious cushion. of course the wait was not the reason. if it was the rating was not the way it should’ve been in the first place
Now we know why NJ State Police has been renting a twin blade Chinook designed to transport tanks for their beloved Governor Christie instead of opting for a smaller more cost effective choppers.
That is balownees. The over weight did not drop the chopper into the river.
Why are you people so nasty about fat people? And she has the right just like anyone else to go on a chopper, and they just stated a fact about the weight, they didn’t say that was the reason of the accident.
So lets say when i enter a elevator which says max. weight 2000 lbs. and we pile in more then 2000 lbs. who is liable.?
Motzei shabbos when we get home from shul in the projects and no one wants to wait till the elevators comes down and we pack up like 12 250-325 pounders….
Really?! The 28 pounds make the chopper fall?! Uh huh! They should b embarrassed to report that if 28 pounds makes such a huge difference all weight regulations should be estimated ton like 200 to 500 pounds less. Because no none is going to be exact!
Another scam by the insurance company paying off the NTSB to come up with a lame reason what caused the crash. not to be liable its a bunch of crap.
So that’s why you have to report it if you are carrying more than $10,000 on International Flights! They are worried about the extra weight!