A preliminary cause in the horrifying Hudson River helicopter crash likely will take “quite some time” to determine, said a top federal safety official Friday — as she revealed the doomed craft’s rotors still remain missing.
A 17-person investigative team has started the laborious task of piecing together what led to the New York City sightseeing helicopter to break apart midair Thursday before crashing into the water, killing six, said National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy.
Homendy said nothing is off the table as investigators will comb through the pilot’s experience, the company that runs the sightseeing tours and the still-incomplete wreckage.
“We do not have a preliminary cause, that takes time,” she said.
“We will not speculate on cause – ever – but will not be determining any sort of preliminary or probable cause at the scene of an accident.”
The Bell 206L4 helicopter itself has been pulled from the Hudson River, but NYPD divers are still combing the depths for several missing pieces from the craft, Homendy said.
“We are looking for the main rotor and the tail rotor right now,” she said, also noting the main transmission has also not been recovered.
The NTSB has raised concerns over sightseeing helicopters, including in New York City, in the past, Homendy noted.
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