NTSB points to bird strike as probable cause of 2025 Hudson helicopter crash that killed Spanish family of five
Over a year after a Bell 206 helicopter plunged into the Hudson River killing six, the NTSB has released a 2,000-page report identifying a mixed flock of Brant and Canada geese as the probable cause.
The crash
On 10 April 2025, a Bell 206 helicopter on a tourist flight over Manhattan crashed into the Hudson River roughly 15 to 17 minutes after takeoff. All six people on board died: Agustín Escobar, the former CEO of Siemens Spain, his wife, their three children, and the pilot, Sean Johnson. Video footage showed the aircraft breaking apart in mid-air, with the main rotor separating before the fuselage struck the water. Debris from the rotor blades was later found on rooftops and the ground about 600 metres northwest of the main wreckage site.
Bird strike evidence
On 16 July 2026, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a 2,000-page factual report identifying a bird strike as the probable cause. Investigators found bird remains on the wreckage, and the Smithsonian Institution's Feather Identification Lab confirmed the samples came from a mixed flock of Brant geese and Canada geese. The NTSB stated that the birds struck the main rotor blades and the horizontal stabilizer, causing catastrophic damage.
A mixed flock of Brant and Canada geese impacted the rotor blades and the horizontal stabilizer.
The agency noted that between 2009 and 2025 it investigated 18 helicopter accidents where bird strikes were the probable cause, three of which were fatal, resulting in 14 deaths. Another source cited 24 such accidents over 25 years, with three fatal. The NTSB posted on social media that the 2,000 pages of factual data are now public, but the probable cause and any contributing factors will be determined only after the investigation concludes.
Witness accounts
Several witnesses reported seeing a large flock of geese near the helicopter's flight path moments before the crash. One witness told investigators that about 20 "very large and fat" birds were in the area. Another described hearing a loud bang and immediately thinking of a bird strike.
The geese were big and there were many of them. When I heard the bang and the helicopter crashed, I immediately thought it was a bird strike.
A third witness said a flock of roughly 20 geese was flying toward the Hudson River minutes before a loud explosion was heard.
Investigation ongoing
The NTSB stressed that the report does not represent a final conclusion and that all contributing factors must still be determined. Lawyers for the victims' family said a thorough analysis of all facts and data is needed to fully understand the circumstances. The agency's final report will establish the official probable cause.
Safety concerns
Joan Camprubí, the brother of one of the victims, has called for stronger safety measures on tourist helicopter flights. The crash has drawn comparisons to the 2009 "Miracle on the Hudson," when a US Airways jet struck a flock of geese and landed on the river with no fatalities. Aviation lawyer Justin Green, a former Navy helicopter pilot, said the video suggested a catastrophic mechanical failure that no pilot could have prevented.
No pilot could have prevented the accident. It's like a stone falling to the ground. It's heartbreaking.
- Helicopter takes off from Manhattan for tourist flight.
- Mixed flock of Brant and Canada geese strikes main rotor and horizontal stabilizer.
- Helicopter breaks apart and plunges into Hudson River; all six occupants killed.
- NTSB releases 2,000-page factual report identifying bird strike as probable cause.
