American Eurocopter CORP AS350B2 accident near New York, New York, March 11, 2018
On March 11, 2018 at about 11:08 pm local time, a 2013 American Eurocopter CORP AS350B2 (helicopter), registered N350LH, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near New York, New York. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Liberty Helicopters Inc.'s use of a NYONair-provided passenger harness/tether system, which caught on and activated the floor-mounted engine fuel shutoff lever and resulted in the in-flight loss of engine power and the subsequent ditching. Contributing to this accident were (1) Liberty's and NYONair's deficient safety management, which did not adequately mitigate foreseeable risks associated with the harness/tether system interfering with the floor-mounted controls and hindering passenger egress; (2) Liberty allowing NYONair to influence the operational control of Liberty's FlyNYON flights; and (3) the Federal Aviation Administration's inadequate oversight of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 revenue passenger-carrying operations. Contributing to the severity of the accident were (1) the rapid capsizing of the helicopter due to partial inflation of the emergency flotation system and (2) Liberty and NYONair's use of the harness/tether system that hindered passenger egress.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2018 · about 11:08 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter CORP AS350B2, built 2013
- Registration
- N350LH · no longer on the register · serial 7654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-19/04. On March 11, 2018, about 1908 eastern daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 B2, N350LH, lost engine power during cruise flight, and the pilot performed an autorotative descent and ditching on the East River in New York, New York. The pilot sustained minor injuries, the five passengers drowned, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The FlyNYON-branded flight was operated by Liberty Helicopters Inc. (Liberty), per a contractual agreement with NYONair; both companies considered the flight to be an aerial photography flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. (During this accident investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration determined that Liberty operated the flight as a nonstop commercial air tour under 14 CFR Part 91.) Visual flight rules weather conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the intended 30-minute local flight, which departed from Helo Kearny Heliport, Kearny, New Jersey, about 1850.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight defining event
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering
- Attempted remediation/recovery during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Roll over during landing
- Evacuation during after landing
- Miscellaneous/other during after landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Design
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › (general) › Inoperative
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Culture › Safety › Operator
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Safety programs › Adherence to safety program › Operator
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › Operator
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Culture › Safety › Other institution/organization
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Safety programs › Availability of safety program › Other institution/organization
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › FAA/Regulator
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Enforcement › Regulatory requirements › FAA/Regulator
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › FAA/Regulator
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Emergency floatation section › Design
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Passenger compartment equip › Unnecessary use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 1,430 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 3,020 as pilot in command; 1,625 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 21, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,510.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 6, 2018; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 (turboshaft); 5,038 hours total
- Operator: Liberty Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: 65NJ Kearny NJ at 10:50 pm
- Destination: 65NJ Kearny NJ
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 250 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:14 pm from LGA, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
79 documents, released by the NTSB on September 25, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.