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The biggest local news story was the dramatic, caught-by-other-TV-cameras crash of the WNBC News Chopper 4. The helicopter, which was on the way to cover a shooting in Brooklyn, lost control, crashing onto a rooftop. Amazingly, the three passengers were able to emerge relatively unscathed. The air traffic controller reports that pilot Russ Mowry said, "Chopper 4 is going down. We had a tail-rotor failure." Other news crews, from WABC, WCBS, and WPIX caught the crash, which WNBC later used in its telecasts. A resident in the first building the copter hit (Chopper 4 crashed into one building, then onto another lower one) told the Daily News, "It was freaky, really scary."
WNBC lists a history of related helicopter crashes: In 1986, a WNBC traffic reporter died when the helicopter crashed into the Hudson River. The Times looks at how the crash caused many neighbors to come and watch the tableau. You can see that WABC just says a news chopper crashed on its homepage, and WCBS says Chopper 4 crashed. Gothamist is glad no one was hurt, but we did note that, somehow, the initial story the news crews were reporting on the, the shootings, got lost in the shuffle.
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I was watching this story last night and I think WCBS reported that the shootout was a drug bust gone bad, with cops shooting and injuring three suspects. No police were injured.
semi relevant comment: i was watching "brotherhood" the other night at the film festival, and one of the firemen in the film was saying how a chopper accident inspired him to become a fireman. he witnessed another fireman - i think it his name was hashagen - who rescued the people from the river, which was the 1986 crash, if i'm not mistaken. hashagen also retired during the filming of the movie.
Don't forget the helicopter that crashed off the PanAm building (now Met Life) many years ago. All the people in the chopper died as well as several unsuspecting people walking to work on the street. That accident was the main reason why helicopters don't land on rooftops in NYC anymore.
Remember The Race of the High Tech News Choppers and Channel 4 Had Chopper 4000 . . . .and it crashed into the Passaic River? News Chopper 7 was ALSO there caught that one on tape. I sense a conspiracy here. Every time Newschopper 7 is in the area, Chopper 4 goes down, and 7 just HAPPENS to be there taking the pictures.
You know, if I were in a helicopter crash, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't remain unscated.
I don't know where I read this or if I just made it up...but aren't helicopters the most dangerous mode of transportation? I thought that they had the highest rate of accidents per flight. Can anyone confirm or deny?
Remember someone telling me that to fly a 'copter, the pilot must be able to manage different controls with each limb at the same time (quadridextrous?).
That's why helicopter pilots make great lovers.
Makes you wonder how long it will be until Fear Factor crashes one. And you KNOW that's not going to be pleasant for the aspiring actor who's dangling from the skids.
I never even thought about the Fear Factor 'copters, instead I've anticipating someone dying of eXtreme Makeover complications.
I can't stop thinking about the Sklar brothers comedy routine. "Chopper 4 crashed. Who was first on the scene? Chopper 4!"