East End, NY — A tragic helicopter crash at the beginning of the month claimed the lives of a pilot and three passengers, a recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board revealed. The inquiry has focused on the communications and conditions surrounding the deadly incident. Preliminary findings highlight the moments leading up to the crash, involving an exchange between pilot Samantha Grandbouche and air traffic control.
Grandbouche, who was operating the tour helicopter, initially contacted the local air traffic control to request a scenic route referred to as the “downtown loop.” Minutes into the flight, the control center warned of another tour helicopter in the vicinity and instructed Grandbouche to maintain visual distance from the aircraft. While she acknowledged the other helicopter, her transmission was cut off mid-message and no further communication was made.
The investigation also pointed to surveillance data that captured the helicopter’s fatal collision with a radio tower. Video footage showed the blinking lights of the tower’s top and middle beacons as the helicopter approached. Strikingly, the lower beacon was not lit, the reasons for which remain unspecified in the report.
Further details revealed by the NTSB indicate that there had been a recent ownership change of the radio tower, which was followed by a Notice of Air Missions. However, no issues had been reported with the tower beacons prior to the crash.
This accident not only resulted in the loss of four lives but also raised concerns about air traffic safety and the maintenance of safety beacons on important structures like radio towers. Experts in aviation safety assert that maintaining visible and functional beacons is critical to preventing such tragedies, especially in routes frequented by tour operations.
Local authorities and aviation safety experts are now closely examining protocols for communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, the positioning and functionality of navigational aids, and operational procedures for tour helicopters.
As this investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of those aboard, and authorities are urged to implement stricter safety measures to avert similar incidents in the future. The final report by the NTSB is expected to provide comprehensive recommendations aimed at enhancing flight safety in congested airspaces and around significant aerial obstructions.