Overview
- The NTSB released more than 2,000 pages of factual records on July 16 that include recovered bird remains and investigator notes linking bird material to the wreckage.
- The Smithsonian Institution’s feather‑identification lab told investigators it found mixed‑species geese snarge on rotor blades and the left horizontal stabilizer using feather comparison, microscopy and DNA.
- A separate NTSB video analysis in the docket said available footage showed no discernible evidence of a bird strike before the breakup, and investigators cited limits in distance, lighting and image quality.
- The Bell 206L‑4 sightseeing helicopter broke apart over the Hudson River on April 10, 2025, killing a Spanish family of five and the pilot after pieces of the aircraft were seen falling into the water.
- New York Helicopter has ceased operations and the FAA grounded the company after post‑crash personnel moves raised safety concerns, and the NTSB has not yet issued a final probable‑cause determination.