Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: James T. Crouse
Profession: Aviation Accident Attorney

Category: Helicopter Crashes

Several weeks after nine people were killed in a collision between a sightseeing helicopter and a small plane, the NTSB has urged the FAA to go beyond the voluntary procedures now in place for much of the low-altitude airspace over New York City.

In a letter to FAA chief Randy Babbit, the chairman of the NTSB has called for "special flight rules area" and new procedures that would force planes and helicopters to operate at separate altitudes. These safety steps have been taken in the airspace over Washington and LAX.

The letter also urged the FAA to direct air-traffic controllers to issue traffic warnings to small planes coming into the airspace over the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey; to speed up controller communications so planes can be cleared sooner for higher altitudes; to require controllers to instruct pilots to monitor the same radio frequency as the local helicopter pilots.

FAA spokesman, Laura Brown, has declined to comment on the NTSB recommendations, but stated the FAA would respond within 90 days. The NTSB does not have the authority to enact rules, all it can do is recommend to the FAA which sometimes adopts the recommendations.

The FAA has been studying the airspace over Manhattan's West Side and will deliver it's findings and recommendations to Mr. Babbit. A fatal crash in 2006 led the FAA to adopt restrictions on small planes flying over the East River.

Frieda wonders why the restrictions weren't also applied to this area of the Hudson when they were applied to the East River. The same airspace crowding existed. Why did the FAA have to wait for nine people to be killed before they addressed the same situation on a different river?