The photo is frightening
exceedingly so, a terrible thing for those poor souls, and now their rellies behind, I am sorry.
May I ask, how on earth does a fixed wing and a helicopter get to fly at the same altitude in regulated airspace? if this is so, one can hardly apportion blame to either party were they within regulated altitude, NO, the regulators need to answer the question.
It is usually impossible to see another object below the horizon, now if that object is travelling at considerably slower airspeed than an approaching airplane, then the outcome is predictable for those on clonflicting fight paths.
Separation to accomadate that simple logic was something that I learnt when doing my commercial at Long Beach, where R/W - F/W separation was mandated.
Much different from the 'auld' established pommie burocracy of the OZ system at the time.
Long Beach then, (1979) was the busiest light aircraft hub in the world. I reckoned, if its good enough for them then its good enough for us anytime.
I instigated severe reprimands for anyone that I flew with who was in conflict with that simple logic upon my return.
I have yet to be rebuked by ATC, FOI's or anyone, even so I still see old helicopter fuddy duddies taxi out to the active runway and ask for a T/O clearance on that active runway line.
Worse still I see them operate the full circuit in old ships like '47's at forty to sixty knots when twins, jets etc are all operating in the same circuit.
And guess what? they can't land on the grass like the helicopter can.
Why has this failed in New York? Has it the potential to fail in a multitude of other high traffic density areas all over the world?
Once again a terrible and needless tradegy.