Accident Now Confirmed As Involving Piper PA32-300 and AS350 BA

As expected, the NTSB has dispatched a 'Go' Team to investigate today's midair collision over the Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey of a small airplane and a tourist helicopter.

At about noon today Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper PA32 (N71MC) and a Eurocopter AS350 (N401LH) collided and crashed into the Hudson River. Local authorities report that they have found no survivors among the 9 persons believed to have been aboard both aircraft.

Senior NTSB Air Safety Investigator Robert Gretz will serve as Investigator-in-Charge of the 10-member team. NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman will accompany the team and serve as principal spokesperson for the on-scene investigation. Keith Holloway is the NTSB press officer joining the team in New York.

N71MC is listed as being a 1976 PIPER PA-32R-300, owned by the LCA Partnership of Fort Washington, PA. N401LH is listed as being a 1997 Eurocopter AS 350 BA, owned by Meridian Consulting I Corp Inc., of Linden, NJ. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov