What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Estimated 1130L on June 10 2019 N200BK arrived 6N5 to drop off one passenger. The PIC of N200BK remained at 6N5 checking weather in order to reposition the aircraft to ldj where it is based until about 1330L where he felt he had a weather window and departed 6N5 southbound on the east river towards ldj. The aircraft proceeded toward wall st heliport at 300-400 feet before turning around and proceeding back north. Radar indicates the aircraft then climbed to altitudes between 1000-2000 feet over central manhattan in the center of the trump tower TFR. No contact with ATC was made by N200BK however the PIC did call 6N5 on the CTAF frequency announcing that he wanted to return to the heliport. The CTAF operator issued spot 4 for landing. The CTAF operator recalls the PIC calling one more time that he did not know where he was. That was the last communication with N200BK. The aircraft impacted the roof of 787 7th ave in New York, NY estimated 1350L. METAR reports from local airports and heliports at the time of the accident indicated IFR conditions with ceilings varying from 400-800 feet and visibilities from 1 1/4 sm to 3SM. Documentation to confirm the PIC was current and qualified to act as PIC at the time of the accident could not be located. The PIC did not hold an instrument rating at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ESTIMATED 1130L ON JUNE 10 2019 N200BK ARRIVED 6N5 TO DROP OFF ONE PASSENGER. THE PIC OF N200BK REMAINED AT 6N5 CHECKING WEATHER IN ORDER TO REPOSITION THE AIRCRAFT TO LDJ WHERE IT IS BASED UNTIL ABOUT 1330L WHERE HE FELT HE HAD A WEATHER WINDOW AND DEPARTED 6N5 SOUTHBOUND ON THE EAST RIVER TOWARDS LDJ. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TOWARD WALL ST HELIPORT AT 300-400 FEET BEFORE TURNING AROUND AND PROCEEDING BACK NORTH. RADAR INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT THEN CLIMBED TO ALTITUDES BETWEEN 1000-2000 FEET OVER CENTRAL MANHATTAN IN THE CENTER OF THE TRUMP TOWER TFR. NO CONTACT WITH ATC WAS MADE BY N200BK HOWEVER THE PIC DID CALL 6N5 ON THE CTAF FREQUENCY ANNOUNCING THAT HE WANTED TO RETURN TO THE HELIPORT. THE CTAF OPERATOR ISSUED SPOT 4 FOR LANDING. THE CTAF OPERATOR RECALLS THE PIC CALLING ONE MORE TIME THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS. THAT WAS THE LAST COMMUNICATION WITH N200BK. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE ROOF OF 787 7TH AVE IN NEW YORK, NY ESTIMATED 1350L. METAR REPORTS FROM LOCAL AIRPORTS AND HELIPORTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED IFR CONDITIONS WITH CEILINGS VARYING FROM 400-800 FEET AND VISIBILITIES FROM 1 1/4 SM TO 3SM. DOCUMENTATION TO CONFIRM THE PIC WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED TO ACT AS PIC AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE PIC DID NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.