Piper PA-32R-300 and Eurocopter AS 350 BA mid-air collision near Hoboken, New Jersey, August 8, 2009
On August 8, 2009 at about 3:53 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-32R-300 (N71MC) and Eurocopter AS 350 BA (N401LH), were involved in a mid-air collision near Hoboken, New Jersey. 9 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
(1) the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, which made it difficult for the airplane pilot to see the helicopter until the final seconds before the collision, and (2) the Teterboro Airport local controller’s nonpertinent telephone conversation, which distracted him from his air traffic control (ATC) duties, including correcting the airplane pilot’s read back of the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) tower frequency and the timely transfer of communications for the accident airplane to the EWR tower. Contributing to this accident were (1) both pilots’ ineffective use of available information from their aircraft’s electronic traffic advisory system to maintain awareness of nearby aircraft, (2) inadequate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) procedures for transfer of communications among ATC facilities near the Hudson River Class B exclusion area; and (3) FAA regulations that did not provide adequate vertical separation for aircraft operating in the Hudson River Class B exclusion area.
(1) the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, which made it difficult for the airplane pilot to see the helicopter until the final seconds before the collision, and (2) the Teterboro Airport local controller’s nonpertinent telephone conversation, which distracted him from his air traffic control (ATC) duties, including correcting the airplane pilot’s read back of the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) tower frequency and the timely transfer of communications for the accident airplane to the EWR tower. Contributing to this accident were (1) both pilots’ ineffective use of available information from their aircraft’s electronic traffic advisory system to maintain awareness of nearby aircraft, (2) inadequate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) procedures for transfer of communications among ATC facilities near the Hudson River Class B exclusion area; and (3) FAA regulations that did not provide adequate vertical separation for aircraft operating in the Hudson River Class B exclusion area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2009 · about 3:53 pm local time
- Place
- Hoboken, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 9 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N71MC · registry record · serial 32R-7680172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Eurocopter AS 350 BA · all AS 350 BAs on the register
- Registration
- N401LH · no longer on the register · serial 3059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-32R-300 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2010/AAR1005.htm The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-10/05. On August 8, 2009, at 1153:14 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N71MC, and a Eurocopter AS350BA helicopter, N401LH, operated by Liberty Helicopters, collided over the Hudson River near Hoboken, New Jersey. The pilot and two passengers aboard the airplane and the pilot and five passengers aboard the helicopter were killed, and both aircraft received substantial damage from the impact. The airplane flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and the helicopter flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Parts 135 and 136. No flight plans were filed or were required for either flight, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Eurocopter AS 350 BA final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2010/AAR1005.htm The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-10/05. On August 8, 2009, at 1153:14 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, N71MC, and a Eurocopter AS350BA helicopter, N401LH, operated by Liberty Helicopters, collided over the Hudson River near Hoboken, New Jersey. The pilot and two passengers aboard the airplane and the pilot and five passengers aboard the helicopter were killed, and both aircraft received substantial damage from the impact. The airplane flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and the helicopter flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Parts 135 and 136. No flight plans were filed or were required for either flight, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Piper PA-32R-300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › ATC personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › ATC
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › FAA/Regulator
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,121 hours in all; 834 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,041 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 12, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,505 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 3:49 pm
- Destination: 26N Ocean City NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from TEB, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the Eurocopter AS 350 BA from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › ATC personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › ATC
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › FAA/Regulator
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 1,198 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 2,728 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 24, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,095 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 2, 2009; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JRA New York NY at 3:52 pm
- Destination: JRA New York NY
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.