Bell 206B accident near Long Island Cty, New York, May 1, 1988
On May 1, 1988 at about 2:23 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N7094J, was destroyed in an accident near Long Island Cty, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1988 · about 2:23 pm local time
- Place
- Long Island Cty, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7094J · registry record · serial 727
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BELL 206B WAS ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT AROUND THE ISLAND OF MANHATTAN WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A LOW ROTOR RPM SITUATION. THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT RECOVER ROTOR RPM AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE EAST RIVER. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND HUNG ONTO THE FLOATS WHICH WERE INFLATED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ONE PASSENGER DID NOT ESCAPE, WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT 1 1/2 HOURS LATER AND DIED OF DROWNING. A FATIGUE CRACK WAS FOUND ON THE POWER TURBINE GOVERNOR NEAR THE PY PORT WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS SAID A WARNING HORN IDENTIFIED AS THE LOW ROTOR WARNING HORN, STAYED ON THROUGHOUT THE DESCENT. THE LOW ROTOR RPM WARNING HORN IS DESIGNED TO SOUND WHEN A LOW ROTOR RPM CONDITION EXISTS. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY COLLECTIVE CONTROL PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND THE PILOT DID NOT MENTION A JAMMED COLLECTIVE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,785 hours in all; 698 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 1,644 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,395 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 13, 1988; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TSS Manhattan NY at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from LGA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N7094J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.