The Bell 206L sightseeing helicopter involved in an April 2025 accident over New York City struck birds before crashing into the Hudson River and killing all six people on board, newly released NTSB materials show. The Board has not yet determined a probable cause for the crash but opened the docket for the accident on July 16.

An analysis conducted by the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab for the NTSB concluded that a “mixed species” flock of geese impacted the helicopter’s rotor blades and horizontal stabilizer. Depending on the species and sex, these birds weigh on average anywhere from 2.7 to 10.4 pounds.

Bird strikes are a major concern for eVTOL air taxis that plan to operate at low altitudes where birds are common. Whereas normal category helicopters like the Bell 206 do not have specific bird strike protection requirements, the FAA has chosen to hold powered-lift eVTOLs to the same standards adopted in 1996 for larger transport category helicopters, which require that the aircraft be capable of continued safe flight and landing after impact with a 2.2 pound bird. Additionally, their propellers must be able to withstand the impact of a 4 pound bird.

A 2017 report by the FAA’s Rotorcraft Bird Strike Working Group found that many of these larger helicopters survived strikes by birds weighing more than 2.2 pounds, supporting “a conclusion that the current regulation has been effective in preventing fatalities and significant injuries including some events with larger than specified bird species.”