Mid-Air Collision Over New York.
 

Reuters reporting 2 helicopters collided near the Hudson River in New Jersey .Still only ticker on Sky News at 1742 local London time .

Light aircraft and helicopter collide over Hudson River, 8-8-2009
 

Breaking news on Sky, two helicopters in mid-air collision in New Jersey near the Hudson River. One may be a light aircraft but details sketchy at the moment.

BBC website reports light aircraft and helicopter colliding..

From NY1:
 

NY1 | 24 Hour Local News | Top Stories | At Least One Dead In Air Crash Over Hudson River

Sources tell NY1 that at least one person has died after a helicopter collided into a small plane and fell into the Hudson River near 14th Street in Manhattan.

Authorities say the debris fell into the water and the river's New Jersey shore.

Many shocked onlookers heard a loud noise.

One onlooker named Bo, who saw the crash from a roof deck by Christopher Street, said that he saw a black helicopter and a white and red biplane collided mid-air, and a wing separated from the body of the plane.

According to Bo, both aircrafts "spiralled down" and immediately submerged under water.

Sources tell NY1 that the aircraft may have taken off from Teterboro Airport.

A NY1 crew is on the scene and will continue to have live reports throughout the day

Not much more news yet

Plane, Helicopter Crash Over Hudson River In New York City - cbs2.com

One survivor was rescued by city fire crews so far.

BBC haven't got much either.

BBC NEWS | Americas | US 'helicopter and plane collide'

Talk of a survivor.


Helicopter hits small plane near New York | U.S. | Reuters

CNN & Fox saying that the Helicopter belonged to Liberty Helicopters.

AP reports aircraft where an AStar and a PA32 Cherokee Six.

:sad:

Folks,

Not Good news, I flew with Liberty helicopters 3 years ago.


Joel

Accident Heli/small aircraft
 

Seems to have been a Tour Helicopter with 6 onboard and light aircraft maybe with two.No debris on the surface,divers in the water.

NY major Bloomberg mentioned that eyewitnesses reported that the airplane ran into the back of the helicopter... but obviously that is not confirmed.

Bloomberg himself btw. is a helicopter pilot himself, flying his Augusta Grand in and out of the city himself.

The Mayor gave the best report out of everyone, and resisted the hysteria about closing the Hudson River Corridor as promoted by CNN.

Sadly the report is that only two bodies have been recovered so far putting doubt on the earlier announcements that there was a survivor.

Italian family of 5 + pilot in Liberty Helicopter, and 3 in the Piper (Saratoga?), one a child.

Divers have located one wreckage believed possibly to be that of the helicopter.

No longer a rescue operation, but a salvage operation being performed by NYPD divers.

Being my local neck of the woods, and having flown several times in the corridor I can attest to the alertness and situational awareness particularly of the helicopter pilots in the corridor.

Sadly CNN's "resident expert" who has only ever flown above the corridor helped fuel incorrect hysteria about how congested he believed the space to be just because it is under busy airspace.

Glad I cancelled my flight today. North of the corridor though would have had a concerned Mrs B at home.

Thoughts go out to those involved and our fellow rotorheads who fly in the area.

No doubt we will get the full story from Bronx who may even have been involved?

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Statement On Helicopter & Small Plane [Piper PA-32] Crash Over New York City's Hudson River - 08/08/09

NYC Mayor Bloomberg, press conference Hudson mid-air
 

The Mayor reports a mid-air collision over Hudson, Jersey side off pier 40, appx 14th street, between Piper PA32 and tour copter. Pilot and two pax on fixed wing, departed Teterboro and headed south over Hudson in vfr corridor. Copter just departed 30th street heliport with pilot and five Italian tourists. Aircraft collided just minutes before noon local time. Both aircraft suffered damage in the air and shed pieces, then plunged into river. No survivors and rescue is now deemed recovery.

Just heard the Borough President of Manhattan call for more regulations reguarding flying over NYC. Says 'bus drivers have more regulations than pilots....'

He said it with a straight face too.

If there was another case area for ADS-B implementation, then the NYC VFR area would be it.

Another sad day of 2009 aviation.

Thoughts goes to those left behind.

That still photograph is just horrific, i am in NYC at the moment and was thinking about taking a flight.
Condolences to the families involved, very tragic indeed.