East 34th Street Heliport - Accidents and Incidents

Accidents and Incidents

• On May 23, 1974, David Frank Kamaiko, a 22-year man from Greenwich Village claiming to be a member of the Jewish Defense League, hijacked a helicopter from the East 34th Street Heliport and demanded $2 million in ransom. After landing on top of the Pan Am Building, the pilot tried to escape and Kamaiko shot him in the arm. The hijacker was held back by the other hostage inside the helicopter until he was taken into custody by police.

• On February 27, 1975, a Bell 47G-2A on a non-commercial flight from Garden City crashed into a fence while attempting to land at the 34th Street Heliport in gusty wind conditions. The pilot survived but was severely burned in the resulting fire.

• On April 26, 1985, the engine on an Aérospatiale SA 360 Dauphin failed shortly after takeoff from the East 34th Street Heliport, sending the helicopter into the East River. Five passengers and two crewmembers were rescued but one passenger trapped inside the submerged craft was killed.

• On May 2, 1988, a Bell 206-B on a sightseeing flight around Manhattan crashed into the East River near Long Island City while preparing to land at the East 34th Street Heliport, killing one person and injuring four others.

• On February 10, 1990, a strong gust of wind sent a Bell 206-L on a sightseeing flight crashing into the East River shortly after taking off from the East 34th Street Heliport. A 14-year old boy was unconscious when pulled from the wreckage and later died. The pilot and three other passengers (including the boy's father and two French tourists) were injured but survived the crash.

• On June 17, 2005, a Sikorsky S-76C carrying six corporate executives from MBNA returning to Delaware after a business meeting in New York City crashed into the East River less than one minute after taking off from the East 34th Street Heliport. All eight people aboard survived the crash.

• On October 4, 2011, a Bell 206 crashed into the East River killing one person after taking off from the East 34th Street Heliport. The pilot and three other passengers on board were rescued. One week after the accident, a second passenger died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board report on the crash, released on December 20, 2012, said the cause was excess weight in the helicopter; the aircraft is rated to carry 3,200 pounds (1,500 kg), but it was estimated to have weighed between 3,228 pounds (1,464 kg) and 3,461 pounds (1,570 kg) at takeoff.