Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429 accident near Rikers Island, New York, September 1, 2016
On September 1, 2016 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 2013 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429, registered N917PD, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Rikers Island, New York. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s overcontrolling of the helicopter during an aborted slope landing from a hover, which resulted in a main rotor blade strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2016 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rikers Island, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 429 NO SERIES, built 2013 · all 429s on the register
- Registration
- N917PD · registry record · serial 57148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the helicopter on a nose-up slope when he "noticed the helicopter started to tilt aft." As the pilot "immediately" increased collective pitch and applied forward cyclic to abort the landing, three of the four main rotor blades struck the wire strike protection system on the cabin roof, which resulted in substantial damage to the blades. Representatives from the helicopter manufacturer examined the helicopter, replaced the three damaged rotor blades, and then returned the helicopter to service. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter that would have prevented normal operation.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abrupt maneuver during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › Main rotor blade system › Related operating info
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,015 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 198 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,491.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 19, 2016; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW207D1 (turboshaft); 1,492 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW207D1 (turboshaft); 1,492 hours total
- Operator: New York City Police Department
The flight
- Departed from: JRB New York NY at 4:50 pm
- Destination: Rikers Island NY
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from KLGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA16CA313.