# Accident 20090808017851A: Snias AS350BA, Hoboken, NJ, August 8, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 8, 2009, 12:53 local time
- Place: Hoboken, NJ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: MHIA
- Location: 40.7433° N, 74.0217° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7433&lon=-74.0217&mi=10
- Aircraft: N401LH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N401LH-2013-08-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 BA (registry code 8680955, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-ba) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350BA
- People aboard: 9
- Fatal injuries: 9
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,010 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA09MA447](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09MA447) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090808017851A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

A EUROCOPTER AS350BA HELICOPTER, N401LH,OPERATED BY LIBERTY HELICOPTERS FLIGHT TOURS AND A PRIVATELY OPERATED PIPER LANCE, N71MC, WERE DESTROYED FOLLOWING A MIDAIR COLLISION OVER THE HUDSON RIVER NEAR HOBOKEN, NJ.  THE COLLISION KILLED THE PILOT OF N401LH AND HIS 5 PASSENGERS AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER OF N71MC.  THE HELICOPTER WAS CLIMBING TO ITS INTENDED CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 1,100 MSL, PROCEEDED SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE WEST SHORE OF THE RIVER WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY THE FIXED WING PIPER LANCE THAT WAS LEVEL AT 1,100 MSL ALSO PROCEEDED SOUTHBOUND.  THE HELICOPTER AND FIXED WING AIRCRAFT WERE COMMUNICATING ON DIFFERENCE RADIO FREQUENCIES AND WERE NOT AWARE OF EACH OTHER'S POSITIONS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA09MA447](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09MA447), Aug 8, 2009: Eurocopter AS 350 BA (N401LH), Hoboken, NJ, substantial damage, 9 fatal. Probable cause: (1) the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, which made it difficult for the airplane pilot to see the helicopter until the final seconds before the collision, and (2) the Teterboro…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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