Helicopter goes down in New York’s Hudson River after missing landing pad

Terrifying moment helicopter crashes into New York’s Hudson River after pilot misses landing pad in front of horrified onlookers

  • The FDNY reported the downed helicopter off Manhattan’s west side Wednesday
  • The pilot, who was the only person on the chopper, climbed out of the water
  • He and a person working at the helipad sustained non-life-threatening injuries 
  • Emergency crews responded to the area near 34th Street and 12th Avenue  

A helicopter fell short of a landing pad in Manhattan and was submerged in the Hudson River on Wednesday afternoon, FDNY officials say. 

The pilot, who was the only person on board the chopper, climbed out of the water soon after the crash. 

The aircraft equipped with flotation devices was pulled from the river soon after. 

Emergency crews rushed to the scene near 12th Avenue and West 34th Street by land and by water to help recover the helicopter.   

Officials say two people sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the pilot and a person working at the helipad wounded by debris. 

A helicopter fell short of a landing pad in Manhattan and was submerged in the Hudson River on Wednesday afternoon, FDNY officials say

Video recorded by a witness shows the aircraft losing altitude and approaching the river 

The chopper's strong impact sent a wall of water flying several feet into the air

The chopper’s strong impact sent a wall of water flying several feet into the air

A witness to the crash told CBS: ‘I was riding my bike to work, and you know, I see helicopters take off all the time from here and I heard kind of like a boom after one of them was taking off and I looked over and I see the helicopter that took off. 

‘It wasn’t very high and it started spinning out of control . And it was spinning and kind of slow but then the airbags deployed and it dropped into the water. And that is when I grabbed my phone and I ran over and took video. 

‘At that point I was riding this way, so it was kind of I don’t know, behind some of the netting over here. But I don’t know. You know, I’m not always looking at them but like, I hear them take off, like I’m on my way to work. 

‘There were no flames. It just started you know, spinning in a circle. Spinning, spinning and the airbags deployed and it fell to the water.’

The pilot was the only person on board the helicopter. He and a person working at the helipad sustained non-life-threatening injuries

The FDNY announced the crash on Twitter just before 2pm on Wednesday

The FDNY announced the crash on Twitter just before 2pm on Wednesday

The chopper appeared unsteady as it made its accidental descent into the river by Manhattan

The chopper appeared unsteady as it made its accidental descent into the river by Manhattan

The chopper appeared unsteady as it made its accidental descent into the river by Manhattan 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk