NJ governor seeks restrictions on nonessential helicopter flights after chopper crash

New Jersey’s governor is asking federal officials to impose restrictions on nonessential helicopter flights in his state after a New York City sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair in April, killing six people

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey's governor is asking federal officials to impose restrictions on nonessential helicopter flights in his state after a New York City sightseeing helicopter broke apart in midair in April, killing six people.

Gov. Phil Murphy, in an Aug. 18 letter, requested the Federal Aviation Administration use its authority to “prohibit or sharply reduce” the number of the aircrafts operating in the state.

The Democrat noted that the helicopter involved in the April 10 crash was based at a heliport in Kearny, New Jersey and plummeted into the Hudson River just 75 feet (22 meters) from the Jersey City waterfront.

He argued that future crashes could be more devastating if they occurred on land as he called on the FAA to impose more stringent regulations, akin to the cap on tourist helicopter flights over Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park that the agency adopted in 2023.

“We must not wait for such a tragedy to occur being taking decisive action,” Murphy wrote.

The governor suggested flights from Kearny could be routed over Newark Bay rather than directly over densely populated Jersey City and Hoboken, reducing impacts on residential neighborhoods and enhancing safety by having helicopters fly more over water than land.

He also asked the FAA to consider limiting the operating hours for non-essential flights from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The FAA, in a statement Thursday, said it would reach out directly to Murphy.

The agency also noted helicopters are not subject to the same minimum altitude restrictions as airplanes, which must fly at least 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the nearest obstacle when over densely populated areas. But, under federal regulations, they must not pose a hazard to people or property on land when operating.

Industry trade groups didn't immediately comment.

The aircraft operated by New York Helicopter had been giving a typical tour of the Manhattan skyline when it broke apart about 18 minutes into the flight.

The crash killed the helicopter pilot and a prominent family from Barcelona. It also revived concerns about the safety of the popular and costly aerial tours over New York City.

The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the doomed flight in May, but is still investigating what caused the helicopter to break apart.